Cytogenetic study and pollen viability of <i>Diatenopteryx sorbifolia</i> Radlk.

Abstract

The number of chromosomes and the meiotic characterization are important to studies involving genetic variability, germplasm and biodiversity. However, native forest species have not been sufficiently analyzed from a cytotaxonomic point of view. Therefore, the number of chromosomes, the meiotic behavior and the pollen viability of the Diatenopteryx sorbifolia Radlk were determined from five different accessions located in the southern region of Brazil. The species was considered diploid, 2n = 30 (x = 15), with regular meiotic behavior in phase I and absent in phase II, suggesting the presence of a genetic abnormality. Pollen grains infertility was between 57 and 67%. which may be associated to the formation of a low number of seeds in Diatenopteryx sorbifolia, probably due to the irregular behavior of the microsporogenesis.