Polyploidy induction was carried out by using a 0.05% colchicine solution. Ploidy level was determined
by an analysis of flow cytometry, which is suitable, quick and easy for the identification of ploidy level.
Quantification of DNA by spectrophotometric methods showed that treated plants presented higher
contents of cellular DNA than diploid plants, and this quantification was checked by fluorescence
method and comparison of the DNA profiles showed a more significant thickness of the DNA band in
the extract from the treated plants than the diploid plants. In addition, the tested plants were classed as
diploid and mixoploid by flow cytometry. The cytological characteristics such as the stomata size and
pollen grain diameter of the mixoploid were significantly larger than those of the diploid. Polyploidy
induction is an effective method to increase plant performance.