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STUDIES IN THE POLLINATION ON INDIAN CROPS 



Generally two flowers on the same inflorescence open daily and as they last 

 about three days it is usual to find six flowers open on the same branch. The 

 anthers dphisce shortly after the flowers open and their pollen-covered surfaces 

 are always turned towards the stigma. There are two types of flowers — long- 

 styled and short-styled (Fig. 2). This difference in the length of the style can 

 be distinguished in the bud stage and as the flower opens but it is most evident 

 at the time the anthers burst. Afterwards it becomes lost as the flowers fade. 

 Bees visit the flowers for honey up to the time the petals fall so that both 

 self and cross-pollination are possible. 



Fertilization. A considerable amount of work has been carried out on 

 the fertilization of this plant. In 1909-10, fourteen samples of taramira from 

 different parts of India where this crop is grown were sown at Pusa when it 

 was observed that all the cultures were composed of a large number of 

 very different types. Three hundred and thirty-four single plants were 

 allowed to flower under bag but almost all failed to set seed — a very few 

 seeds were found in only a few cases. A similar result was obtained the 

 following year in the case of 402 plants. In 1911-12, a number of flowers 

 were self-pollinated (either with pollen from flowers of the same inflorescence 

 or from another inflorescence of the same plant) while others were cross- 

 pollinated from different plants. In all cases the seed and pollen parents 

 were bagged and every precaution was taktn to avoid contamination with 

 foreign pollen. The results are given in the following table : — 



