Rates and pattern of ovule abortion vis-à-vis in situ pollen germination in some populations of Trifolium fragiferum L.

The present study is based on four populations of Trifolium fragiferum L. of the family Fabaceae growing at four different sites in Jammu region, India. The species, which grows as a common weed in the area of study, follows an annual life cycle of about three and a half months in the subtropical climates of Jammu region. While all of these populations were recorded in full bloom during February and March, they displayed a temporal scatter. Detailed studies revealed these population types to be morphologically similar but distinct in the many aspects studied. An interesting phenomenon noted for the plants of this species was in situ pollen germination, which was recorded in about 28.8 percent of the flowers studied. The species under investigation also showed an appreciable amount of ovule abortion. The ovule abortion in pistils was found to be non-random, with the peduncular ovule aborting at a higher rate than the stylar one. The rates and patterns of ovule abortion were studied vis-a-vis in situ pollen germination and were compared between different populations. Interesting results were obtained, indicative of the fact that precocious pollen germination does affect the ovule abortion in one way or other.