Morpho-meiotic study in Mentha longifolia from cold desert regions of Lahaul-Spiti and adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh (India)

Abstract

A morpho-meiotic study of wild Mentha longifolia (L.) L. (Lamiaceae) is presented from the nine populations (Kukumsari, Zero-point, Kishori, Tosh, Kasol, Key, Tiling, Mudh and Darcha) in and around the cold desert regions of Lahaul-Spiti of Himachal Pradesh. Present work is needful effort to fill the gap of morpho-meiotic (morphological and cytological) knowledge in M. longifolia growing in high altitude regions. Meiotic study revealed the different chromosome counts in these populations as n = 12, n = 12 + 0-3B and n = 9. Presence of B-chromosome in the species is reported for the first time from the study area and it reflects inter-population variation in five important descriptors (such as a nature of whole plant, stem, leaves, inflorescences and pollen) with 17 sub-descriptor states and occurrence of B-chromosomes. Present study reflects the existence of M. longifolia at diploid (2x) level based on base numbers x = 12 and x = 9.

Seed set in inter specific crosses of male sterile Mentha spicata with Mentha longifolia

“…On average, the highest number of free pollen grains belonged to M. spicata and M. longifolia with 344 and 308, respectively. Data obtained in the previous study conducted by Srivastava and Saggoo (2018) in M. longifolia indicated that percentage of pollen fertility varied from 73 to 100%. Also, Tucker and Fairbrothers (1990) reported that.…”

Assessment of variability among morphological and molecular characters in wild populations of mint [Mentha longifolia (L.) L.] germplasm

“…This species exhibits widest natural geographic distribution of all the Mentha species and grows extensively in the Mediterranean region, Europe, the middle East, South and North Africa, Australia and central Asia including India ( Mikaili et al, 2013 , Panjeshahin et al, 2018 ). In India, M. longifolia is reported from Western Himalayan states and union territories including Jammu and Kashmir ( Sobti, 1971 ), Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Ladakh ( Singh et al, 2017 , Srivastava and Saggoo, 2018 ).…”