Microsporogenesis in Male Sterile and Male Fertile Crotalaria pallida Ait

Abstract

A comparative study of microsporogenesis in male fertile and male sterile C. pallida was conducted. The developmental pattern for fertile microsporogenesis was compared with the developmental pattern in sterile plants to determine the time of microsporogenesis breakdown. The first abnormality was observed in the tapetal cells. Although normal tetrads were observed in male fertile plants, no tetrads were observed in the male sterile plants. It is suggested that sterility is due to differences in tapetal behaviour and failure of cytokinesis in male sterile type.