V_coerulea wrote:
4N plants are produced by exposing protocorms to colchicine, a very
poisonous chemical from the autumn "crocus". This induces the plant to
double its chromosome number from 2 to 4. This toxic treatment is not
guaranteed to have this effect but can usually guarantee a 50% mortality
rate. Since so few make it through, it's hoped that the survivors are
tetraploid and all to frequently sold as such without verifying the
chromosome count (which would place the place off the market monetarily).
Mericlones of 4N plants should be true. So always buy tetraploids as a
mericlone or in flower to be sure what you're getting.
Gary


Moreso, the effects of increasing ploidy are difficult to predict. Gene
and protein regulation often get in the way of our simplistic view of
"double the chromosomes, double the size". If tetraploidy was so
straight forward and uncomplicated, we'd see more of it in animals.