Summary
Application of 200 to 800 mg/l silver nitrate (AgNO3) to the female kakrol or teasle gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.) plant was effective for inducing hermaphrodite flowers. Pollen grain viability of the hermaphrodite flowers was as high as that of normal male flowers. Crossing among female genotypes of different fruit morphotypes, taking pollen from the induced hermaphrodite flowers, produced fruits and seeds. Sex of hybrids between female and normal male segregated into male and female in equal proportion, while the hybrids from female homo-sexual crosses produced only female plants. This indicated that sex of kakrol is controlled by a single factor; male being heterozygous and the female is homozygous recessive. The possibility to evaluate both parents for fruit characteristics should facilitate breeding.
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Hossain, M.A., Islam, M. & Ali, M. Sexual crossing between two genetically female plants and sex genetics of kakrol (Momordica dioica Roxb.). Euphytica 90, 121–125 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025168
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025168