Polycotyledon

danish · Dec 6, 2014

One of my dorset naga seed just showed tetracot. Going to grow it out and show its' development.

Here are some papers on the typical growth problems that can be expected:
http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/133/1/113.full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC196586/figure/fig1/

Also general polycot thread. Post your pictures and experiences. I met one man who said he was breeding out a tricot which showed no growth defects. Maybe they're not all bad?

Enjoy! Also, sorry for my crappy camera.

Pfeffer · Dec 6, 2014

They tend to pop up once in a while but are much rarer than tricotyledons. In my experience they do grow but usually have a major disadvantage over normal seedlings. Strange considering more leaves = more photosynthesis, theoretically.

cruzzfish · Dec 6, 2014

Pfeffer said:
They tend to pop up once in a while but are much rarer than tricotyledons. In my experience they do grow but usually have a major disadvantage over normal seedlings. Strange considering more leaves = more photosynthesis, theoretically.

Yes. But then they usually grow branch sets of four rather than two, so they have to expend twice as much during the branch stage. I've had tricots grow well, but slowly, because they branched into three, then into nine, rather than two, then four. I'm guessing this would go four, sixteen, sixty four.

Edit: just noticed the articles. Haven't read them though.

danish · Dec 6, 2014

@cruzz
I assume the same growth pattern, though it's not always a gaurentee. If it does I plant to keep it as an ornament.

The articles comment mostly on flowers desformation and sterility issues. Growth is mostly the same with a chance of smaller or even curled leaves and ofcourse more branching.

Here is a comparison photo. The cot leaves are tiny.

danish · Dec 7, 2014

Heu guys, I have had a nagging question that seems like it should have a simple answer but I can't come up with a conclusion.

The Capsicum begins flowering dependent on nodal growth. If this tetracot produces more lower branches and leaves will that slow meristem growth and result in later flowering or will the extra photosynthesis increase growth rate and result in earlier flowering?

I guess I will grow a di and a tetra side by side to find out. Maybe it would be more noticable in a short season cultivar...

compmodder26 · Dec 8, 2014

I had a quad cotyledon plant last year. It grew normal for me.

danish · Jan 9, 2015

Update. I planted a dicot next to the tetracot. The dicot germinated ~12 days earlier. So it has a slight lead but the growth difference is vast. See for youselves.

nzchili · Jan 9, 2015

hey there. iv got one. its a devils brain from pepperlover..

I also happened to take pics of it from when it sprouted till now because i thought it was interesting

and the below two pics i just took this morning when i saw this thread.

Tick · Jan 10, 2015

Tricots definitely pop up quite a bit, more in some varieties than others it seems, I had several pop up in a small set of Chiltepin Sonoran Orange seeds. Last summer at least 5 came up, I think, in a batch of ~ 30 F2s of a bhut cross I have. They mostly seem to then grow normal.

As for tetracots - I saw this thread earlier in the day and almost replied then that I've never had one. But came home today and saw this:

Quad Moruga!

I'll keep an eye on it,

Tick

danish · Jan 10, 2015

@nzchili
Wow, that thing is a freak! Love the growth.

@tick
Will be very interested to know if it affects the typical pod shape.

Suezotiger · Jan 11, 2015

I have a yellow moruga scorpion with three this year. Seems to be doing about the same as my other seedlings. It's a little shriveled either from over or under watering, really not sure yet but a few others are having the same problem with only 2. The true leaves that are started look normal but I'll keep an eye out for problems once it matures

Tick · Jan 19, 2015

Hi Danish,

I'll try to keep track of it. Here's the quad moruga today next to a normal sibling that sprouted at the same time:

One of the cotyledon pairs isn't completely divided as you can see.

- Tick

nzchili · Jan 19, 2015

Am interested to see how that turns out.

Can you tell if its sprouting 4 new true leaves or only two? Mine made 4, two true leaves for each set of cotys.

the 3 coty plants did not - and made two true leaves like normal.

Tick · Jan 19, 2015

I think 4 true leaves, but It's still a little hard to see. Should know for sure in a few days...

Tick · Jan 23, 2015

It definitely has four true leaves:

D3monic · Jan 23, 2015

Not a true tricot but this Butch T yellow had a forked cotyledon. I assume it won't make a difference in growth though since it's only effected at the tip. In it's defense though it was the very first seedling to emerge.

nzchili · Jan 27, 2015

Tick said:
It definitely has four true leaves:

Sweet, interested to see what happens with that one!

Tick · Feb 4, 2015

Tonight's comparison - quad on left, regular on right:

danish · Feb 4, 2015

Small update. The tetracot is catching up. Not sure if the dicot is moving slowly. The difference in growth pattern is however clear.

Look at how messed up those leaves are growing. The dicot however has positioned its' leaves for good light access.

Daedra · Feb 4, 2015

its looking nice want to see how it grows up