Reproductive biology of Capparis decidua (Kair): A potential underutilized multipurpose plant of arid and semi arid region

Abstract

Foliation and flowering of Capparis decidua occurs three times a year i.e. from January to November months. Flowers are bracteate, pedicellate, complete, hermaphrodite, zygomorphic, hypogynous with slender pedicel, usually light red, scarlet red and yellow in colour. Anthesis was maximum between 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 PM and 6.00 to 10.00 AM. Pollen grains are prolate, tricolporate, trilobed, with costae, colpal membrane sparsely granulated. Anther dehiscence takes place after 20–30 minutes of anthesis at 6.00 to 8.00 PM by the time the flowers starts antehsizing, the anthers are almost mature. The viability of pollen grains ranges from 38–52%, and starts decreasing in the stored pollen. The percentage fruit set decreases with the collection time of the pollen grains and plant type. According to visual observation stigmatic surface change in the appearance i.e. green coloured stigma was considered receptive while dull and brown was accounted non-receptive. Pollen germination in-vivo showed 80 per cent stigma receptive and 90 percent of fruit set in the flowers pollinated on the time of anthesis. Pollen grains per anther were ranging from 331–369, fully developed and mature anthers differing significantly among the plant types. The mean number of pollen grains per ovule was 4309 thus the pollen-ovule ratio was 431:1. There is 17–23% fruit set observed under self pollination (autogamy and geitonogamy) and 52–72% as a result of cross pollination. The cross pollinated nature of C. decidua is due to entomophilic nature of flowers, insect visitors which play the main role of pollination are from Apidae and Papilionidae.