STUDIES ON HYBRIDIZATION BETWEEN WILD AND CULTIVATED POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum L.)
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Date
2013
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ABSTRACT
The present investigations entitled “Studies on hybridization between wild and cultivated
pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)” was conducted at pomegranate blocks, Department of Fruit
Science, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan and the research farm
of Horticultural Research Station, Kandaghat during 2012. Five cultivars namely Ganesh, G-137,
Kandhari Kabuli, Bhagwa, Mridula and two wild pomegranate (Daru) germplasm accessions namely
NT-1 and MH-1 were used for pollen and hybridization studies. Pollen viability was assessed by
acetocarmine stain (2%), tetrazolium stain (1%) and erythrosin B stain (0.1%). The pollen viability in
acetocarmine ranged from 86.38 to 97.81 per cent whereas in tetrazolium and erythrosin B, pollen
viability varied from 88.27 to 95.13 per cent and 83.34 to 92.15 per cent respectively. Maximum
pollen germination was obtained in 10 per cent sucrose solution after 72 hours with 42.34 per cent
germination and minimum (2.17%) was recorded in 20 per cent sucrose solution at 72 hours. Some
pomegranate cultivars/wild germplasm accessions showed no germination after 24, 48 and 72 hours in
different concentrations of sucrose. Amongst all the cross combinations attempted the highest
(79.09%) fruit set was observed in Bhagwa x NT-1 and minimum fruit set was recorded in MH-1 x G-
137 (57.76 %). Fruit retention ranged from 10.34 to 30.09 per cent in all the cross combinations. Seed
germination from hybrid seeds ranged from 0.00 to 19.43 per cent in all cross combinations. The total
of 247 seedlings of different cross combinations has been raised under polyhouse conditions. From
present investigations it may be concluded that there is, thus, an absolute need to continue further
work in respect of raising, screening and evaluation of the resultant hybrid progeny to select
promising genotypes resistant to bacterial blight.