POLLEN STORAGE CONDITIONS AND POLLINATION WITH STORED POLLENS ON FRUIT SET, SEED YIELD AND QUALITY IN OKRA HYBRID (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS (L.) MOENCH.)

Rekha H. Hallur. Shantappa T, Archana A. M and Jagadeesha R. C The present study entitled “pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored on fruit set, seed yield and quality in okra hybrid” was under taken in the Kittur rani Channamma College of Horticulture, Crop Improvement and Biotechnology department field. In present study selected the Arka Anamika and IC-550848 of okra as female and male parents, respectively. Two pollen storage conditions like refrigerated (C1) and ambient (C2). Pollination with fresh pollens (P0) and stored pollens of one, two, three and four days (P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively). The interaction study also carried in this experiment. Among the storage conditions, refrigerated condition and among the pollination with stored pollens, one day stored pollens has recorded higher fruit set, seed yield and quality. In the interaction study, storage of pollens under refrigerated condition and pollination with fresh pollens (C1P0) even the interaction of C2P0 i.e., storage of pollens under ambient condition and pollination with fresh pollens has presented higher results of fruit set, seed yield and quality in okra hybrid.

The present study entitled "pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored on fruit set, seed yield and quality in okra hybrid" was under taken in the Kittur rani Channamma College of Horticulture, Crop Improvement and Biotechnology department field. In present study selected the Arka Anamika and IC-550848 of okra as female and male parents, respectively. Two pollen storage conditions like refrigerated (C 1 ) and ambient (C 2 ). Pollination with fresh pollens (P 0 ) and stored pollens of one, two, three and four days (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 and P 4 , respectively). The interaction study also carried in this experiment. Among the storage conditions, refrigerated condition and among the pollination with stored pollens, one day stored pollens has recorded higher fruit set, seed yield and quality. In the interaction study, storage of pollens under refrigerated condition and pollination with fresh pollens (C 1 P 0 ) even the interaction of C 2 P 0 i.e., storage of pollens under ambient condition and pollination with fresh pollens has presented higher results of fruit set, seed yield and quality in okra hybrid.

Introduction:-
The practice of storing pollen goes back to the early years of human civilization. A systematic study on the storage of pollens was initiated towards the end of 19 th century, when the longevity of pollen of more than 80 spp stored under air dry conditions were investigated. In okra also storage of viable pollens for longer period is essential for pollination, as it eliminates the laborious problems encountered when parent flowers at different times, pollens can be collected and stored successfully for pollination during hybrid seed production. The storage of pollens under controlled temperature and humidity condition is being practiced. However, refrigerator, earthen pot with water at bottom is being used to store the pollen grains. To know the fruit set, seed yield and quality in okra by pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens, this study was under taken.

Material and methods:-
We have selected Arka Anamika as female parent and IC-550848 as male parent. Here under study, two aspects are considered like pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens. Pollen storage conditions like refrigerated (C 1 ) and ambient (C 2 ) conditions. Under pollination with stored pollens, the fresh pollens (P 0 ), one (P 1 ), two (P 2 ), three (P 3 ) and four (P 4 ) days stored pollens were used for pollination and the interaction study was also carried out. Pollination was carried out every day morning from 6.00 AM to 8.00 AM till the completion of flowering period of female parent Arka Anamika by collecting the pollens from male parent IC-550848. The observations are recorded on fruit set percentage, number of crossed fruits retained, germination percentage, seedling shoot length, seedling root length, seedling dry weight and seedling vigor index.

Results and Discussion:-
Initially scientists have studied on Effect of pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens on number of flowers pollinated, fruit set percentage and crossed fruits retained (%) in okra hybrid. For each treatment 100 flowers were crossed. In this study refrigerated stored pollens and pollination with fresh pollens were shown significantly higher results of fruit set percentage (74.40 and 72.73) and crossed fruits retained percentage (83.83 and 82.50), respectively compared to storage of pollens under ambient condition and duration of pollen storage. In the interaction study the treatment combination of C 1 P 0 and C 2 P 0 has recorded significantly higher results of fruit set percentage (84.33) and crossed fruits retained percentage (83.33) compared to other treatment combinations (Table 1). These results may be attributed to sufficient loss of pollen viability due to diurnal fluctuations in ambient temperature and relative humidity, which might have affected fertilization of ovules and resulted poor fruit set and seed yield components. These results are also confirmed by Petrova et al. (1981) and Islam and Khan (1998)   Here in this experiment scientists have studies the pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens on number of seeds per fruit, 100 seed weight and total seed weight of crossed fruit per plant in okra hybrid (Table 2). Among the pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens, the refrigerated stored pollens and pollination with fresh pollens has recorded significantly higher values of number of seeds per fruit (52.00 and 58.00), 100 seed weight (6.32 and 6.88) and total seed weight of crossed fruit per plant (81.66 and 109.37). Even in the interaction study the treatment combination C 1 P 0 and C 1 P 0 had recorded the maximum and significant results of for the observations number of seeds per fruit (58.33), 100 seed weight (6.93) and total seed weight of crossed fruit per plant (113.74). Kivadasannavar et al. (2008) reported that the use of fresh pollen recorded significantly higher seed germination and seedling vigor index followed by pollen stored in refrigerator for one day.
Table2:-Effect of pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens on number of seeds per fruit, 100 seed weight and total seed weight of crossed fruit per plant of okra hybrid. Among the pollen storage conditions the pollens stored under refrigerated stored pollens has recorded significantly higher results of germination % (85.07), seedling shoot length (17.86) and seedling root length (17.86) compared to ambient stored pollens. In pollination with stored pollens, fresh pollens used for pollination are observed higher results of germination % (94.17), seedling shoot length (20.43), seedling root length (16.22) but other treatments of pollen storage duration were shown lower results. In the interaction study the treatment combination C 1 P 0 and C 2 P 0 has recorded maximum and significantly higher results of germination %, seedling shoot length and root length (94.33, 20.40 and 16.33, respectively) compared to all other treatment combinations ( Table 3). The increase in seedling vigor can also be attributed to higher per cent of germination, root length and shoot length. Such results were reported earlier by Chen (2003) in brinjal, Singh (2009) in okra and Yogeesha et al. (1999) and Jolli (2008) in tomato. On the other hand seed quality traits were lower in the treatment of pollination with four day stored pollens which can be attributed to immature and thinner seeds obtained from fruits of delayed pollination. Table 3:-Effect of pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens on germination %, shoot length (cm) and root length (cm) in okra hybrid.
Here in this experiment scientists have studies the pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens on seedling dry weight (g) and seedling vigor index in okra hybrid (Table 4). Among the pollen storage conditions and pollination with stored pollens, the refrigerated stored pollens and pollination with fresh pollens has recorded significantly higher values of seedling dry weight (0.31 and 1532) and seedling vigor index (0.37 and 1924). Even in the interaction study the treatment combination C 1 P 0 and C 1 P 0 had recorded the maximum and significant results of for the observations seedling dry weight (0.37) and seedling vigor index (1924). Patil (2005) reported that use of stored pollen in refrigerated condition recorded significantly higher fruit set (%), seed yield, seed germination, seedling dry weight and vigor index compared to farmer's method of pollen storage. Whereas, fresh pollens recorded significantly higher results for these traits as compared to two day and three day old pollens in brinjal.