(Indian Academy of Sciences, 2001) Prajapati, Seema; Bajpai, Suphla; Gupta, MM; Kumar, Sushil
Isolation of a recessive aco (androcarpel organ) mutation in opium poppy Papaver somniferum, is described. The aco (aco aco) mutant plants form androcarpels in place of inner whorl stamens in their
flowers. The abnormal flowers are self-fertile, as
stamens in the outer whorl are normal. In aco mutant the calyx, corolla and syncarpous gynoecium are
formed like in the wild type ACO plants. The androcarpel walls of aco plants synthesize and accumulate
alkaloids like the main carpel walls. The aco mutation provides a means for improving carpel wall
husk mass and thereby the yield of alkaloids
