SELF AND CROSS COMPATIBILITY STUDIES IN TUBEROSE (POLIANTHES TUBEROSA) POLIANTHES TUBEROSA)

Abstract

An experiment on selfing and crossing techniques was conducted in the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, TNAU, Coimbatore during the year 2012-13. The objective of this study was to evaluate self and cross compatibility in tuberose. Ten single genotypes of tuberose viz., Calcutta Single, Hyderabad Single, Kahikuchi Single, Mexican Single, Navsari Local, Phule Rajani, Prajwal, Pune Single, Shringar and Variegated Single were used for this study. By 48 hours after pollination, large numbers of germinating pollen grains were observed on most stigmas of both self and cross pollinated pistils but at 72 hours after pollination, none of the self pollinated pollen tubes had penetrated the style but in few crosses, pollen tubes reached the ovules. The present study thus reveals that the single genotypes of tuberose provide an evidence of a game tophytic self incompatibility system and are of cross compatible nature