Open AccessSelection for high thebaine/low morphine content (cpv. Morph: The ) in Papaver somniferum L.
Author(s) -
NYMAN ULF
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
hereditas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1601-5223
pISSN - 0018-0661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-5223.1978.tb00979.x
Subject(s) - thebaine , papaver , biology , alkaloid , botany , morphine , papaveraceae , selection (genetic algorithm) , horticulture , curculionidae , pharmacology , codeine , artificial intelligence , computer science
Selection for high contents of the industrially valuable alkaloid thebaine has been performed in Papaver somniferum. The breeding lines studied are probably the result of a spontaneous mutant, which has been cross pollinated by wind or insects, as segregations have been observed in the subsequent generations. Low frequencies of thebaine plants were found in the I 1 and I 2 generations. In the I 3 generation one line resulted in the production of 92% plants with high thebaine content. Offsprings from this line produced only 17.5% thebaine plants when cultivated in green house conditions during winter. The thebaine content in the dry capsules averages 0.65% as compared to 0.37% morphine in normal alkaloid plants when cultivated under identical conditions.