Breeding potential of Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev) genotypes assessed through In Vitro pollen viability and germination

Chrysanthemum ( Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev.) is one of the most beautiful flowering plant referred as “Queen of the East” and also known as “Autumn flower” belongs to family Asteraceae. It is derived from Greek words chryos means golden, anthos means flower and is the most important flower crop of commercial importance. It is having diploid chromosome number 2n = 18. In the International cut flower trade, it ranks next to the rose. The genus of which, the present day florist chrysanthemum ( Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat) has been renamed as Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev. Present study helps to overcome the challenges for cross breeding in chrysanthemum, the access to viable pollen, cultivar distant in location and difference in flowering, are required. Low pollen viability along with self-incompatibility are mainly responsible for low seed set in modern chrysanthemum cultivars. In the present study, pollen viability 50 genotypes were tested by staining pollen with Aceto carmine staining solution and examined under light microscope (20X). Among chrysanthemum genotypes with respect to total number of viable pollen grains. It was ranged from 0.00 to 81.34 per cent. The cv. Winter Queen (81.34%) recorded the maximum number of viable pollen grains followed by cv. Arka Kirti (77.78%) whereas minimum in White Star (49.47%) and Highest pollen germination was observed in the cv. Winter Queen (63.84%) and lowest in cv. Corcom small (24.57%). These results provide a valuable background to the conventional breeding to create hybrids through cross-pollination.