Interpopulation variability in Artemisia glauca Pall. ex Willd.- studies on three distinct cytotypes

Abstract

Three wild populations of Artemisia glauca Pall. ex Willd. occurring in the Pir Panjal mountain ranges and in the Kishtwar Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir State, India, have been analysed for their meiotic systems and reproductive output. Of the three, two namely Poonch and Rajouri populations have a chromosome count of 2n = 18, while the third population named as Kishtwar population has 2n = 36. These are in all probability diploid and tetraploid cytotypes. While the tetraploid Kishtwar population shows stunted growth, diploid ones show little variation at the morphological level but display prominent interpopulation differences in detail of chromosome size and chiasmata frequency. Meiotically Poonch population is more stable than Rajouri. The differences in ploidy level and chromosome constitution affect the reproductive output in these species. Although all of them show high degree of inbreeding depression (revealed by total absence of healthy seeds on forced selfing), seed and fruit set on open pollination also is extremely low. Of the three, Poonch population sets the highest percentage of healthy seeds.