Effect of UV Irradiation on Pollen Germination and Tube Growth in Butea monosperma and Gliricidia maculata

摘要

Freshly collected pollen grains of two tree species viz. Butea monosperma and Gliricidia maculata were exposed to UV rays in the laboratory for 10, 20 and 30 minutes in order to test their sensitivity. The germination and pollen tube length was assessed on an artificial germination medium. Irradiation with UV rays significantly decreased pollen germination and tube growth in both the species when compared to their respective controls. Interestingly, co-efficient of variation (CV) for pollen grain germination and tube length increased with the duration of exposure to the UV rays suggesting the increase in variability. Since the pollen germianlion and tube growth are crucial life history stages, which depend on a large number of genes, the variabilitythrown out may well have a genetic basis.