Meiotic Studies, Pollen Fertility and Seed Set of Actaea kashmiriana, an Endemic Medicinal Plant Species of Kashmir Himalaya

Abstract

The present study reports the chromosome number and meiotic behavior including microsporogenesis of Actaea kashmiriana J. Compton and its relation with pollen fertility and seed set. The species showed a chromosome count of 2n=4x=32 and meiotic chromosomal irregularities such as chromatin stickiness, cytomixis, laggard formation, chromosomal bridges, micronuclei and polysporads. B-chromosomes were also observed in this species. Due to these meiotic irregularities, reduced pollen fertility was observed in the range of 85–87%, and the seed set was also significantly reduced to 67.16 to 70.45%.