Kalyani Datta

Pollen morphology of Sorghum Moench – Sections Eu-sorghum and Para-sorghum

Abstract Pollen morphological studies have been carried out by SEM on 23 species of Sorghum (Gramineae) in order to resolve the exine surface patterns in sections Eu-sorghum (subsection Arundinacea-series Spontanea and Sativa and subsection Halepensia), and Para-sorghum. Basically, two exine ornamentation types have been observed viz. granular and insular. In section Eu-sorghum, series Spontanea and Sativa (of subsection Arundinacea) are heterogeneous having both types of exine pattern. In the same section, subsection Halepensia is characterised by having only a granular exine. Section Para-sorghum shows a marked pollen morphological similarity with subsection Halepensia of section Eu-sorghum. Snowdens concept that the two series Spontanea and Sativa are closely related and that the cultivated Sorghum (series Sativa) might have evolved from the wild Sorghum (series Spontanea), is supported by the present observations.

Pollen morphology of Basmati cultivars (Oryza sativa race Indica) – exine surface ultrastructure

Pollen morphological studies using LM and SEM have been carried out on six cultivars of Basmati – a variety of cultivated species Oryza sativa race Indica. SEM study at a magnification of ×20,000 revealed distinct variations in pollen exine surface patterns, in relation to the arrangements of fine surface excrescences (spinules or granules) and their clustering patterns forming small areas or insulae. Three distinctly different insular patterns occur in cultivars Basmati-370, Karnal local and Type-9. Cultivar Bakul Joha is characterized by free spinules. Mixed type i.e. both free and fused excrescences were observed in cultivars Bengali Joha and Bhog Maniki but they can be differentiated on the basis of the dimensions of the excrescences.

Mapping of key bee flora of upper Gangetic region of India – a palynological assessment through regional honeys

Fifty‐one regional honey samples, collected mainly from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh districts, were studied to determine the pollen composition. Pollen spectra of the local honeys varied according to the vegetation type utilized by the bees within this floristically diverse region. Eight pollen types from Uttarakhand and seven from Uttar Pradesh were the predominant pollen types in honey and included both local naturalized flora as well as cultivated crops. The investigation revealed that in addition to already known bee forage (e.g. Brassica, Coriandrum, and Litchi) some other species including Eucalyptus, Callistemon that are planted for social forestry programs, are also heavily utilized as pollen and nectar sources by honey bees in urban and semi urban areas. Naturalized flora including Myrica, Rumex, Erigeron are also utilized and therefore are important for apiculture in these regions.

Cytopalynology of Celosia L.

Abstract Cytopalynological studies have been carried out in Celosia (Amaranthaceae) — a polyploid species complex having both wild and cultivated species. The studies include C. trigyna 2× (wild), C. argentea 4× and 8× (wild), 8× colchiploid, 12× (synthetic), C. cristata 4× (cultivated: varieties and cultivars), C. whiteii 12× (wild), and F1 hybrids (i) C. argentea 4× (wild) × C. argentea 8× (wild)-6×, (ii) C. argentea 12× (synthetic) × C. whiteii 12× (wild)-12×, (iii) C. whiteii 12× (wild) × C. argentea 12× (synthetic)-12×. Though the genus is stenopalynous with pantoporate pollen grains, cytotypic differences have been observed in pollen size, exine ornamentation and exine thickness even at varietal and cultivar levels. C. trigyna, the diploid wild species is clearly separated by pollen size and exine ornamentation from 4×, 8× and 12× species. In the F1 hybrids, the exine characters are intermediate between the parents. In reciprocal 12× F1 hybrids, the pollen size is variable and resembles that of the ...

Pollen exine ornamentation in the F2 generation of an interspecific hybrid of Chorisia (Bombacoideae, Malvaceae) in relation to inheritance pattern

Pollen morphology in ten plants of F2 progeny of an interspecific tree hybrid, Chorisia insignis H. B.& K.×C. speciosa St. Hil (Bombacoideae, Malvaceae) has been studied with a view to have an insight in to the effect of hybridization on the pollen morphological features in F2 generation. The study is a sequel to an earlier study on the pollen morphology of Chorisia species and their F1 hybrid, in which case the hybrid pollen uniformly exhibited the apertural features of the male parent and exine features of the female parent. In the F2 progeny the pollen grains display the apertural feature of the male parent in all the plants. However, with regard to exine ornamentation, variability has been observed. Of the ten plants, two plants exhibit the exine features of the male parent showing empty lumina (without bacula), five plants have their pollen exactly like that of the F1 plant (showing prominent columellar heads in the lumina of the apocolpium region) and the remaining three plants showing columellae in lumina of both apocolpium and mesocolpium region being different from the above types. It has been inferred that the variability in the exine pattern in F2 pollen indicates that the pollen exine pattern in hybrids, perhaps, is not unequivocally controlled by sporophytic or gametophytic genomes.

PALYNOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF GAMMA RAY AND COLCHICINE INDUCED MUTATION IN CHRYSANTHEMUM CULTIVARS

ABSTRACT Palynological investigation on five cultivars of Chrysanthemun morifolium Ramat. and their induced somatic flower color mutants obtained through gamma irradiation and colchicine treatment has been carried out using LM and SEM. The objective of the work was to analyze the changes in the pollen morphology which occurred in mutagen-induced somatic flower color mutants and to verify if there is any correlation between the changes in flower color/type and pollen morphology. Chromosomal status of all the cultivars and their somatic mutants is hexaploid (6 n = 54), but different types of chromosomal aberrations have been observed. Significant increase in pollen grain sterility was found in all the mutants. The pollen grains of all the cultivars and their mutants are basically 3(-4) zonocolporate with tectate spinose exine having perforations. No appreciable variation in pollen apertural character was noticed in any of the mutants. Significant changes in pollen exine surface pattern were found in 4 mutan...

Recent scenario of airborne pollens of Lucknow, India with special reference to intra- and interannual, diurnal, and vertical variation

Correspondence: Praveen C Verma CPMB, National Botanical Research Institute, (CSIR), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow – 226 001 (UP), India Tel +91 522 229 7922 ext 944 Fax +91 522 220 5836 Email praveencverma@yahoo.com Abstract: Biomonitoring of airborne pollen in Lucknow, India was conducted for 2 consecutive years (August 2005–July 2007) with the objective of assessing the recent status of airborne pollen of the city and analyzing the intraand interannual variations. Determination of total incidence of airborne pollen with subsequent contributions of individual components was carried out by measuring diurnal and vertical gradients. The Pearson correlation test was conducted to analyze pollen counts for 2 successive years. Principal component analysis was also carried out to examine the relative distribution of major pollen samples according to their dominance in the particular environment for 2 consecutive years. A total of 6089 pollen grains were caught in 2005–2006, which included 77 types against 4335 pollen grains comprising 61 types registered in 2006–2007. Two major pollen seasons, ie, spring and autumn, were confirmed. During 2005–2006, the highest airborne pollen concentration was found in February (154.67/m), while the spring pollen peak was shifted to March (133.7/m) in the consecutive year. The second pollen peak in both years was in August, which included mostly grass pollen. The highest airborne pollen contributor of 2005–2006 was grass, accounting for 25% of total pollen, while in the subsequent year Holoptelea dominated with 47% of total pollen. The diurnal analysis showed that the highest pollen concentration in 2005–2006 was around 2 pm due to abundant flowering of Morus, while in 2006–2007, the maximum concentration was reported at 10 am due to Holoptelea pollen. Inter-annual species variation in climate was also considered as an important factor involved in inter-annual variation in pollen incidence. In general, a positive correlation was observed with temperature, particularly average temperature. During each period, peak pollen counts occurred when the average temperature fell within the range of 22°C–23°C.