Aspects of growth and morphology of seedlings of diploid and tetraploid western Wolths ryegrass

Summary The tetraploid plants had a lower relative growth rate, and were larger with larger cells. Compared with the diploids, very young tetraploid plants in particular showed a difference in tissue proportions in the leaves. Because of the increased cell sizes and changed tissue proportions, the ratio of cytoplasmic to wall material was probably greater in the tetraploids. Stomatal guard cell length which has been used to distinguish between ploidy levels is not a satisfactory definitive measurement for distinguishing between the diploid and the tetraploid, nor are any of the other characters examined.