RAINA, RAVINDERKAMINI2017-03-242017-03-242016http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810005874ABSTRACT The present investigation entitled “Studies on reproductive biology of Angelica glauca Edgew. and Podophyllum hexandrum Royle” was carried out at three sites viz. Shillaru (2130m amsl, 30°45' 00.48''N and 76º59'12.22''E), Jagatsukh (1982 m amsl; 32°11' 43.20'' N and 77°12' 31.82'' E) and Shilly (altitude of 1550 m amsl; 30º54'30'' N and 77º07'30'' E) and medicinal plants laboratory of the Department of Forest Products, College of Forestry, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.) during 2013-2016. Five experiments on i). morphology ii). phenology iii). floral biology and reproductive vigour iv). genetic system and v). breeding system were conducted separately in A. glauca and P. hexandrum. Studies conducted on A. glauca have revealed presence of compound umbels of different orders; bisexual sex expression of plants; production of sterile seeds due to absence of embryo in about 70.00% seeds (first report); seed set in only primary and lateral-I umbels (first report); seed size variation (first report); upto 31.00% germination; 100.00% seed viability of fertile seeds irrespective of umbel order and position within umbels (first report); strong protandrous behaviour of flowers with style extending full beyond stylopodium on stigma receptivity indicating complete intra-floral dichogamy; presence of trinuclear pollens (first report), 76.00% to 100.00% pollen stainability; 26128.75± 1323.41 pollen per flower and pollen ovule ratio of 13064.37± 661.71(first report); clumping of chromosome at metaphase-I, chromosomes grouped into a ring at anaphase-I (first report), cytomixis in some pollen mother cells (first report); cross pollinating behaviour (upto 95.00%)(first report). Studies conducted on P. hexandrum have revealed presence of six sepals (instead of three as reported earlier) for the first time; more or less unstable variants based on petal number, petal colour and anther numbers; upto 28.67% germination; erratic seed germination, prevalence of seed dormancy and higher viability of pulp dried seeds; underground initiation of aerial bud in autumn before undergoing dormancy and completion of meiotic events underground in floral buds; protandrous flowers followed by overlapping male and female phase; spherical pollen being released in groups of four (tetrads); 95520 to 448320 pollen grains per flower/plant; 50 to 190 ovules/flower/plant; pollen ovule ratio of 1910.40 to 3474.30 (average 2702.10 ± 95.92) and 81.25% to 100.00% pollen stainability; plants favouring autogamy (58.15%) over cross pollination (41.85%) thereby being both self as well as cross compatible.ennullThesis