Effects of micro-wave treatment on sex expression in the plants : 1. Spinach

Abstract

The effect of micro-wave treatment on the spinach seeds soaked in 20°C water for 2 days are as follows :- 1. Germination. - In the case of large seeds, there is observed the influence of micro-wave treatment when the seeds are radiated over 1 min., whereas in the case of small ones, the radiation over 3 min. is required. 2. Seed stalk development. - The large seeds are highly significant in developing the seed stalk by 1 min. radiant and the small seeds seem to be slightly affected by 3 min. radiant. Moreover, in examining the sex ratio expressed on seed stalks, we notice apparently the less males in the cases of both large and small seeds when treated as well as in the case of small seed of non-treatment, as compared with the case of non-treated large seeds. 3. Sex ratio. - There are no differences in the sex ratio neither in micro-wave treatment nor in non-treatment, but when we divide the male individuals into pure male and morphological female (the latter is as useful as the pure female), we can observe the increased number of morphological female by 1 min. treatment of large seeds. 4. Comparing large seeds with small ones, the sex ratio of female and male is almost equally expressed, but the morphological female and pure female, those are both useful, are more numbered in small seed case than in large one.