EFFECT OF LONG-TERM POLLEN CRYOSTORAGE ON FRUIT, SEED SET AND GERMINATION IN EGGPLANT (SOLANUM MELONGENA L.) cv. JARKA KUSUMAKAR'

Abstract

Fruit set, seed set and germination with 9 year cryostored, eggplant (Solanum
melongena L.) cv. 'Arka Kusumakar' pollen showed no decline compared with
fresh pollen, when pollinations were carried out on emasculated flowers of 'Arka
Kusumakar'. Prolonged cryostorage involving the male gamete component obviously,
was capable of performing its normal process of fertilization, resulting in fruit
and seed set. The average seed number per fruit set with cryostored pollen
was higher than (570) that of fresh pollen (423) and germination of seeds set
by cryostored pollen was ca. 32 per cent, which was slightly higher than that
of fresh pollen (27 per cent) as sample from the seeds obtained. The results
clearly indicate the possibility of conserving genes through pollen storage, thereby
long-term genetic conservation of characters transmitted through pollen could be
successfully accomplished through cryogenic methods.