EMS as a Tool for Enhancing Morphological and Physiological traits in Arrowhead (Syngonium podophyllum)

Abstract

Syngonium podophyllum, commonly known as arrowhead, is widely used in interior scaping and home gardening due to its attractive, arrowhead-shaped leaves and tolerance for indoor conditions. Mutation breeding in Syngonium is needed to increase its adaptability for commercial multiplication and to develop a new cultivars. The current research addressed to employ ability on various parameters viz. Morphological (number of leaves, leaf length (cm), plant height (cm), survival percentage (%) and Physiological (Leaf chlorophyll content, Leaf area index). The experiment was set up using a Completely Randomized Design with six treatments and four replications. The plant roots of Syngonium were treated with different concentrations of Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) for four hours, including with control treatment. The experiment results showed EMS 0.5% treated plants significantly increase in leaf number (8.67), leaf length (14.17 cm), chlorophyll content (32.08), and leaf area index (27.95). Whereas growth was inhibited and survival percentage was decreased in the higher doses of EMS concentrations at (1.0% and 1.5%). The experiments results indicate that EMS induced mutagenesis is an effective method for Syngonium mutation breeding, with controlled concentrations improving plant vigor and photosynthetic efficiency and excessive concentrations affecting growth and viability.