Meiotic study in a completely male sterile wild plant of <i>Deyeuxia scabrescens</i> from Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh (Northwest Himalayas), India

Abstract

The accession showed the tetraploid chromosome number of 2n=28 and irregular meiotic course due to the presence of multivalents, univalents, scattered and unequal distribution of chromosomes, chromatin bridges and laggards. Besides, a few PMCs showed cytomixis and cell fusion resulting into syncytes. Meiotic course in syncytes was also irregular. Consequent to these aberrations, abnormal sporads and sterile pollen grains were resulted. Total pollen sterility in the accession seems to be under the control of genetic factors as reported by different workers. Complete pollen sterility leads to failure in seed set resulting into restricted/poor distribution of species.