Phenology, floral biology and pollination in bael varieties under rainfed semi-arid conditions of western India
Keywords:
Beal, floral biology, pollilationAbstract
The present paper deals with phenological events, flower biology, foraging behaviour of flower visitors, pollen germination (in-vitro) and stigma receptivity of different bael (Aegle marmelos Correa) varieties under rainfed hot semi-arid conditions of western India. Phenology of all the plants in terms of leaf initiation started from th nd th 1st week of May to 4 week of June, leaf fall initiation from 2 week of April to 4 week of June. The inflorescence pattern was observed specific in each variety i.e., axillary uniparous cyme, axillary biparous cyme, terminally st axillary multiparous cyme. The peak period of flowering among all the varieties was early1 fortnight of June. Inkling of flower opening in different varieties started from 4.00 A.M. to 9.00 A. M. but peak period of anthesis was noticed between 5.00 to 7.45 A. M.. As soon as flowers open, different kinds of insects like honey bees, bugs, butterflies, ants, houseflies start visiting flowers during 6-9 P.M. in a large number to collect forage materials and help in pollination. Visually, the floral morphology of different variety appeared to be more or less similar, but the quantitative as well as qualitative characters of different floral organs were differed in terms of arrangement and number of petals and sepals. The number of flowers per inflorescence was recorded the maximum in Pant Shivani (24.67) followed by NB-16 (23.93) and Pant Sujata (21.24) and it was recorded the minimum in Pant Urvashi and CISHB-1 (6.97). A single flower of variety produced an average of 45.98 anthers being maximum in Pant Urvashi (61.23) and least was observed in Pant Aparna (36.67). Stigma receptivity was observed maximum at the day of anthesis in Pant Urvashi (68.53%) and one day after anthesis in NB-7 (14.37%) among all the varieties. All the varieties had pollen viability more than 95 % being highest in NB-7.
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