Triton X-100 induces heritable changes of morphological traits in Triticum aestivum L

The effect of the nonionic detergent polyethylene glycol octylphenyl ester, Triton X-100 (TX-100) on the spring common wheat cultivar Alem was studied under laboratory and field conditions. Treatment of seeds and vegetating plants with 0.1 and 0.01% TX-100 (aqueous solution) changed the spike morphology in all plants of the first posttreatment generation. The changes were inherited by the second generation without additional treatment with TX-100. Square-headed dense spikes with doubled spikelets of the duospiculum type (an additional spikelet at the top of the main one), elongate dense and lax spikes, mid-dense spikes, and fusiform spikes were observed. An epigenetic nature was assumed for the observed changes.