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Abstract
Artemisia scoparia Waldst & Kit and Artemisia nilagirica (C. B. Clarke) Pamp. are two economically important species of Artemisia L. (F: Asteraceae) forming distinct populations in subtropical to subtemperate regions of Jammu division in Jammu and Kashmir state, India. Both these species have perennial root stocks through which they produce aerial offshoots each year and spread vegetatively. Species differ in their sex expression as well as in reproductive output through sexual reproduction. A probe into their genetic system revealed them to be matching in breeding system as both were predominantly outcrossed. However they differ markedly in their meiotic system and reproductive effort (both sexual and vegetative). The differences were both inter as well as intraspecific. Fruit set in plants of Artemisia scoparia is high and plants are perfect diploids with 2n = 16 (n = 8). Fruit set in A. nilagirica is comparatively low. It also exhibits interpopulation chromosomal variability in the form of polyploid and aneuploid races. In A. nilagirica, two different chromosome numbers which were predominant are 2n = 34 and 2n = 54. Species are also variable in their reproductive effort. The population with lower reproductive output through sexual reproduction has a higher investment in rootstock and vice versa. This paper tries to elaborate the variability in chromosome complement, reproductive output and reproductive effort of these species.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Head, Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu, for providing necessary laboratory facilities. Eshan Sharma would also like to thank the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India for financial support Sanction No. 22/8/2010-RE.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.