The Effect of Colchicine Application by Soaking and Dropping on the Morphology of M1 Red Okra Plants (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Abstract

Okra, often known as Ladies Finger, has many health benefits. Ladies fingers are widely found in tropical countries, including Asia and Africa. However, few Indonesians are familiar with okra as a health plant. This study aims to determine the effect of colchicine concentration and drops on the anthocyanin content of red okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.), and to determine the interaction of colchicine concentration and drops on the anthocyanin content of red okra. This study was conducted at Gg. Susuk VIII No. 2, Padang Bulan Selayang I, Medan Selayang District, Medan City, North Sumatra. This research was conducted from October 2024 to May 2025. This research used a Randomized Block Design method with two factors, namely soaking concentrations of 0 ppm, 250 ppm, and 500 ppm and colchicine drops of 0 ppm, 3000 ppm, and 6000 ppm. The results showed that the administration of colchicine by soaking had no significant effect on plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, and harvest age. Colchicine drops had a significant effect on stomata length, harvest age, and leaf area. And the interaction between the two treatments, namely soaking treatment and colchicine drops, had a significant effect on fruit diameter