EVALUATION OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND POSTHARVEST VARIABILITY IN IRIS KASHMIRIANA UNDER EMS-INDUCED MUTAGENESIS

Abstract

Iris kashmiriana, a hardy perennial cut flower of the family Iridaceae and native to northern Pakistan, possesses notable floral, commercial, and medicinal importance. The present study was conducted to induce phenotypic variation through ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)—a potent chemical mutagen capable of causing point mutations in DNA. Five EMS concentrations (control, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0%) were tested using a 5-minute dipping treatment, and a range of morphological, floral, and postharvest traits were evaluated to determine the mutagenic response.

Among the treatments, 0.5% EMS (T3) produced the most favorable results, showing marked increases in rhizome diameter (3.16 cm), leaf length (29.1 cm), number of leaves (8.4), plant height (32.8 cm), stalk length (28.26 cm), and flower count (2.26). This treatment also delayed floral senescence (2.46 days), extended vase life (4.66 days), and achieved the highest overall quality score (7.5), demonstrating improved postharvest performance. A moderate improvement was observed at 0.25% EMS (T2), while the highest concentration (1.0%; T4) had adverse effects, resulting in reduced flower diameter (0.7 cm), smaller petal area (3 cm²), and shorter vase life (0.7 days).

Overall, the 0.5% EMS treatment proved to be the most effective in enhancing the morphological, floral, and postharvest traits of Iris kashmiriana, indicating its strong potential for use in mutation breeding and quality enhancement of ornamental crops.