Morphological development in Brassica oleracea is modulated by in vivo treatment with 5-azacytidine

Summary

Treatment with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine induced a range of developmental changes at high frequency in Brassica oleracea vars. botrytis, italic and alboglabra. The spectrum of morphological variation was similar to that previously observed in Brassica, either as somaclonal variation as a result of tissue culture, or as a result of mutation with nitroso-N-methylurea. Where floral development permitted, inheritance of developmental variants was demonstrated to the M₂ generation. The role of methylation in determining the development and apparent genetic diversity within Brassica oleracea is discussed.