Alterations in flower and seed morphologies and meiotic chromosome behaviors of micropropagated rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum L.) ‘PC49’

Variations in flower and seed and meiotic chromosome behaviors were investigated in micropropagated rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum L.) ‘PC49’. The results showed that micropropagated plants had significantly higher variations in flower and seed morphologies and chromosome behaviors than plants derived from crown division. The results demonstrated that micropropagated plants grew 2–5 stamens, 8–13 stigmas, and 2–7 seed-wing, compared to 3 stamens, 9 stigmas and 3 (rarely 4) seed-wing in crown-derived plants. Additionally, alteration in chromosome behaviors (i.e. lagging and bridging) was observed only in micropropagated plants. All the results suggest that somaclonal variation may have been involved in micropropagated rhubarb ‘PC49’.