A partially male sterile mutant line of pepper (Capsicum annuum) (L.) I. Cytomorphology.

Abstract

A pepper plant showing malformed leaves and flat stem was dicovered in a line being assessed for agronomic performance. This plant was also found to be partially male sterile. Pollen grains were variable in size and about 40.2 percent of these did not stain at all with acetocarmine. Cytological investigations showed that the high frequency of non-viable pollen was due mostly to asynapsis. Chromosomes were precociously separated and some were lagging even at telophase II. Micro-nuclei were formed in some pollen mother cells and these gave rise to the small, non-viable pollen grains. The possibility of exploiting this partial male sterility for pepper improvement purpose was highlighted.