Agro-morphological Growth Response of Acha (FONIO) (Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua [kippist] Stapf.) Exposed to Colchicine: Number of Spikes, Spike Length, Number of Seeds per Spike and Grain Yield

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This study aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine treatment on the reproductive traits and grain yield of two species of Acha, Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. Colchicine, a mitotic inhibitor, is known for inducing polyploidy and altering plant characteristics. The study focused on evaluating number of spikes, spike length, number of seeds per spike, and grain yield per hectare. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatment groups included colchicine-treated plants at varying concentrations (0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g/dL) and control plants (untreated). The colchicine treatment involved the soaking of both Acha species in the colchicine solution for a period of 24 hours. While the control groups were soaked in distilled water. The results showed that colchicine treatment significantly affected the agronomic traits and grain yield of both Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. Colchicine treatment led to an increase in the number of spikes (5.80 and 9.90 for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively), spike length (13.60 cm and 19.50 cm for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively), and number of seeds per spike (168.30 and 253.30 for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively), compared to the control group. Additionally, the grain yield per hectare was significantly higher (427.80gha-1 and 2126.70gha-1 for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively) in the colchicine-treated group. These findings suggest that colchicine treatment can effectively enhance the agronomic traits and grain yield of both Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. The induced polyploidy through colchicine treatment likely contributed to the observed improvements in plant productivity. Further research is warranted to investigate the underlying mechanisms and to optimize the colchicine treatment protocol for Acha cultivation and improvement.

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