K. K. Jain

Abstract

An extensive survey of the Abies populations in the various parts of the Himalayas was undertaken and the details of morphological as well as anatomical characters were studied to resolve the problem of the fir complex in the Himalayas. In the Western Himalayas there are two distinct species of Abies, a high altitude one A. spectabilis and a low altitude one A. pindrow. Hybrid populations in the intermediate zones are met all through. Brandis's alticlinal concept in the light of the present investigations does not hold good as there is no gradual change in traits of A. pindrowtowards A. spectabiliswith the increasing elevation. Characters morophological as well as anatomical, particularly the position of the resin canals in the leaf distance between the two vascular bundles in the leaf, the distribution pattern of the stomata on the leaf surface, the nature of the horizontal walls of the vertical parenchyma in the wood and the wood rays height are all in favour of maintaining two distinct species, with their putative hybrids in the middle of the range. The East-Himalayan fir species differs in many traits from the West-Himalayan high altitude species, A. spectabilis and has been identified as Abies forrestii C.C.Rogers.

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C. P. Rahangdale ¹, L. D. Kosht ¹, K. K. Jain ¹, R. P. Dongre ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Forestry, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, M.P., IN

Abstract

22 progenies of seedling seed orchard of Pongamia pinnata were evaluated for seed morphomatric traits, germination traits and seedling at the age of 8 year old provenance trial. Patterns of genetic variation in Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre, a humid tropical oilseed leguminous tree, were evaluated at the population level. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among progenies in all studied attributes at nursery stage. All seed morphometric traits were positively correlated among themselves and with germination traits viz., germination per cent, germination value and germination index, except days of initiation of germination and germination energy but no significant correlation was observed with seedling growth traits at nursery stage. The genetic parameters for seed morphometric traits, germination and seedling growth also showed a wide range of variations. Heritability value for different traits was varied from 79 to 96% for seed morphometric traits, 63-84% for germination traits, 83% for shoot height and 62% for volume index and 56% for collar diameter. Seed weight and seed volume showed high heritability value coupled with more genetic gain, which indicate the presence of good amount of heritable additive component in both traits.

Keywords

Pongamia pinnata, Seed Variability, Correlation, Germination, Growth.

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