Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rates and pattern of ovule abortion vis-à-vis in situ pollen germination in some populations of Trifolium fragiferum L.

  • Published:
Journal of Biosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study is based on four populations of Trifolium fragiferum L. of the family Fabaceae growing at four different sites in Jammu region, India. The species, which grows as a common weed in the area of study, follows an annual life cycle of about 3½ month in the subtropical climates of Jammu region. While all of these populations were recorded in full bloom during February and March, they displayed a temporal scatter. Detailed studies revealed these population types to be morphologically similar but distinct in the many aspects studied. An interesting phenomenon noted for the plants of this species was in situ pollen germination, which was recorded in about 28.8% of the flowers studied. The species under investigation also showed an appreciable amount of ovule abortion. The ovule abortion in pistils was found to be non-random, with the peduncular ovule aborting at a higher rate than the stylar one. The rates and patterns of ovule abortion were studied vis-à-vis in situ pollen germination and were compared between different populations. Interesting results were obtained, indicative of the fact that precocious pollen germination does affect the ovule abortion in one way or other.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson WR 1980 Cryptic self fertilization in the Malphighiaceae. Science 207 892–893

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arathi HS, Ganeshaiah KN, Uma Shaanker R and Hedge SG 1996 Factors affecting embryo abortion in Syzygium cumini (L.) skeels (Myrtaceae). Int. J. Plant. Sci. 157 49–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bawa KS and Buckley DP 1989 Seed : ovule ratios, selective seed abortion and mating in Leguminosae; in Advances in legume biology: Monograph of systematic botany 29 (eds) CH Stirton and JL Zarucchi (Missouri Botanical Gardens) pp 243–262

  • Bawa KS and Webb CJ 1984 Flower, fruit and seed abortion in tropical forest trees: implications for the evolution of paternal and maternal reproductive patterns. Am. J. Bot. 71 736–751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becerra JX and Lloyd DG 1992 Competition-dependent abscission of self-pollinated flowers of Phormium tenax (Agavaceae): a second action of self-incompatibility at the whole flower level. Evolution 46 458–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charlesworth D and Charlesworth B 1987 The effect of investment in attractive structure on allocation to male and female functions in plants. Evolution 41 948–968

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conners HE and Mathews BA 1977 Breeding system in New Zealand grasses, VII. New Zeal. Bot. 15 531–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cruden RW and Lyon DL 1989 Facultative Xenogamy: examination of a mixed-mating system; in The evolutionary ecology of plants (ed) JH Bock and YB Linhart (Westview: Boulder, Co) pp 171–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Culley TM 2000 Inbreeding depression and floral type differences in Viola canadensis (Violaceae), a species with chasmogamous and cleistogamous flowers. Can. J. Bot. 78 1420–1429

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhar R 2004 Reproductive strategies of some clover species with emphasis on pattern and causes of ovule abortion, PhD thesis, University of Jammu, Jammu

  • Dhar R, Sharma N and Sharma B 2006 Ovule abortion in relation to breeding system in four Trifolium species. Curr. Sci. 91 4 482–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Frisendahl A 1927 Birdie Entwicklung Chasmogamer and Kleistogamer Bl ten beider Gattung Elatine. Acta Hort. Gothoburg 3 99–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganeshaiah KN and Uma Shaanker R 1988 Seed abortion in wind-dispersal pods of Dalbergia sissoo, maternal regulation or sibling rivalry. Oecologia 77 135–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwillie C, Kalisz S and Eckert CG 2005 The evolutionary enigma of mixed mating systems in plants: Occurrence, theoretical explanations, and empirical evidence. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 36 47–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson CH 1943 Cleistogamy and the development of embryo sac in Lespedeza stipulata. J. Argic. Res. 67 265–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Holsinger KE 1986 Dispersal and plant mating systems: the evolution of self fertilization in subdivided populations. Evolution 40 405–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holsinger KE 1988 Inbreeding depression doesn’t matter: the genetic basis of mating system evolution. Evolution 42 1235–1244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holsinger KE 1992 Ecological models of plant mating systems and the evolutionary stability of mixed mating systems; in Ecology and evolution of plant reproduction: new approaches (ed) R Wyatt (New York: Chapman and Hall) pp 169–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Hossaert M and Valero M 1988 Effect of ovule position in the pod on patterns of seed formation in two species of Lathyrus (Leguminosae : Papilionoideae). Am. J. Bot. 75 1714–1731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Husband BC and Schemske DW 1996 Evolution of the magnitude and timing of inbreeding depression in plants. Evolution 50 54–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaul V and Koul AK 2009 Sex expression and breeding strategy in Commelina benghalensis L. J. Biosci. 34 6 977–990

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koul M 2010 Studies on the incidence and effects of in situ pollen germination in some populations of Trifolium fragiferum L., M Phil dissertation, University of Jammu, Jammu

  • Le Corff J 1996 Establishment of chasmogamous and cleistogamous seedlings of an ant-dispersed understory herb, Calathea micans (Marantaceae). Am. J. Bot. 83 155–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee TD 1988 Patterns of fruit and seed production; in Plant reproductive biology: Patterns and strategy (eds) JL Doust and LL Doust (New York: Oxford University Press) pp 179–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee TD and Bazzaz FA 1982 a Regulation of fruit and seed production in an annual legume Cassia fasciculata. Ecology 63 1363–1373

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee TD and Bazzaz FA 1982 b Regulation of fruit maturation pattern in an annual legume Cassia fasciculata. Ecology 63 1374–1388

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CW, Erickson HT and Janik J 1979 Cleistogamy in Salpiglossis sinuata. Amer. J. Bot. 66 626–632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis D 1979 Sexual incompatibility in plants (London: Edward Arnold)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd DG 1980 Sexual strategies in plants I. A hypothesis of serial adjustment of maternal investment during one reproductive session. New Phytol. 86 69–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lord EM 1979 The development of cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers in Lamium amplexicaule (Labiatae): an example of hetroblastic inflorescence development. Bot. Gaz. 140 544–577

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayers AM and Lord EM 1984 Comparative flower development in the cleistogamous species

  • Maynard Smith J 1982 Evolution and the theory of games (Cambridge: Cambridge University)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mohan Raju B, Uma Shaanker R and Ganeshaiah KN 1996 Intra-fruit seed abortion in a wind dispersed tree Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.: proximate mechanisms. Sex. Plant Reprod. 9 273–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philbrick CT 1984 Pollen tube growth within tissue of Callitriche (Callitrichaceae). Am. J. Bot. 71 882–886

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha OJ and Stephenson AG 1990 Effect of Ovule position on seed production, seed weight, and progeny performation in Phaseolus coccineus L. (Leguminosae). Am. J. Bot. 77 1320–1329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha OJ and Stephenson AG 1991a Effects of non-random seed abortion on progeny performance in Phaseolus coccineus L. Evolution 45 1198–1208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha OJ and Stephenson AG 1991b Order of fertilization within the ovary of Phaseolus coccineus L. (Leguminosae). Sex. Plant Reprod. 4 126–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosallini D, Ferranti F and Veronesil F 2003 Ovule sterility and seed set in alfa alfa (www.naaic.org/TAG)

  • Sablon LD 1900 Recherches sur les fleus cleistogamous. Rev. Gen. Bot. 12 305–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoen DJ 1984 Cleistogamy in Microlaena polynoda (Gramineae): an examination of some model predictions. Am. J. Bot. 71 711–719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shields WM 1993 The natural and unnatural history of inbreeding and outbreeding; in The natural history of inbreeding and outbreeding (ed) NM Thornhill (Chicago: University of Chicago Press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson AG 1981 Flower and fruit abortion: proximate causes and ultimate functions. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 12 253–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uma Shaanker R and Ganeshaiah KN 1988 Bimodal distribution of seeds per pod in Caesalpinia pulcherrima Parent-offspring conflict. Evol. Tr. Pl. 2 91–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Waser NM 1993 Sex, mating systems, inbreeding and outbreeding; in The natural history of inbreeding and outbreeding (ed) NM Thornhill (Chicago: University of Chicago Press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiens D, Nickrent DL, Daven CI, Calvin CL and Viverette NJ 1989 Development failure and loss of reproductive capacity in the rare palaeoendemic shrub Dedeckera eurekensis. Nature 338 65–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu, 180 006, India

    Meenakshi Koul & Namrata Sharma

Authors
  1. Meenakshi Koul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Namrata Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Namrata Sharma.

Additional information

Corresponding editor: Imran Siddiqi

MS received 14 March 2012; accepted 04 September 2012

[Koul M and Sharma N 2012 Rates and pattern of ovule abortion vis-à-vis in situ pollen germination in some populations of Trifolium fragiferum L. J. Biosci. 37 1–11] DOI 10.1007/s12038-012-9274-7

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koul, M., Sharma, N. Rates and pattern of ovule abortion vis-à-vis in situ pollen germination in some populations of Trifolium fragiferum L.. J Biosci 37 (Suppl 1), 1067–1077 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-012-9274-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-012-9274-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation