Pengaruh Induksi Bayam Merah (Amaranthus tricolor L.) dengan Kolkisin dan Uji Ketahanan terhadap Stres Salinitas serta Aktivitas Antioksidannya

Abstract

Amaranthus tricolor L. (red spinach) commonly known as red spinach, is a valuable source of protein, vitamins A, B, and C, and mineral salts. It also contains anthocyanin pigments, which act as antioxidants. However, the productivity of spinach has been declining annually due to ecosystem damage and environmental changes. One way to address this issue is through polyploidy induction, an artificial mutation technique that increases the number of chromosome sets in an organism. Colchicine, derived from Colchicum autumnale seeds, is a chemical mutagen used to produce polyploid plants. These plants often exhibit resistance to abiotic stresses, such as salinity stress, which can cause osmotic stress, ion imbalance, and even plant death. In this study, a completely randomized design (CRD) with two interacting factors was employed. The first factor was colchicine concentration, with levels of 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1.00%. The second factor was the duration of immersion, set at 12 hours and 24 hours. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA for parametric tests or the Kruskal-Wallis test for non-parametric data, producing box and whisker plots and linear regression graphs. The results indicated that colchicine treatment did not affect germination rates but did influence stomatal morphology by reducing stomatal length and width while increasing stomatal density. Different colchicine concentrations and immersion durations had varied effects on the characteristics of red spinach plants. Additionally, growth analysis showed that salinity treatment tended to increase plant height, leaf number, and leaf dimensions, although there was no significant difference between plants subjected to salinity stress and those that were not. The measurement of antioxidant activity in red spinach under salinity treatment revealed variable changes in antioxidant levels across different treatments.