Morpho-Floral and Postharvest Responses of Iris kashmiriana to Ethyl Methanesulfonate (EMS) Mutagenesis

Iris kashmiriana, a hardy perennial flowering cut flower native to the northern region of Pakistan and a member of the Iridaceae family, which exhibits high floral, commercial and medicinal value. The present study aimed to induce phenotypic variation using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a potent chemical mutagen known to cause point mutations in DNA. Five concentrations (control, 0.25 %, 0.5 %, 0.75 %, and 1.0 %) were applied with a dipping duration of 5 minutes. A range of morphological, floral and postharvest characteristics was evaluated to assess the mutagenic impact of EMS. Results show that EMS application of 0.5 % (T3), maximum improvement in multiple parameters including rhizome diameter (3.16 cm), leaf length (29.1 cm), number of leaves (8.4), plant height (32.8 cm), stalk length (28.26 cm), and flower count (2.26).T3 also showed delayed floral senescence (2.46 days), extended vase life (4.66 days), and quality score (7.5), indicating improved post-harvest longevity. EMS application of 0.25 % (T2) shows moderate results in parameters, rhizome diameter (2.66 cm), leaf length (26.4 cm), number of leaves (6.1), plant height (30.1 cm), stalk length (27.63 cm), and flower count (1.5). On the other hand, the highest concentration (T4) constantly resulted in decreased growth and floral traits, like reduced flower diameter (0.7 cm), petal area (3 cm²) and vase life (0.7 days). These findings recommend that the EMS application at 0.5 % is effective in enhancing desirable morphological, floral and post-harvest traits in Iris kashmiriana. Keywords: Chemical concentration; Vegetative variation; Vase life; Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS); Cut flower quality