Effect of seasonality and time after anthesis on the viability and longevity of Cannabis sativa pollen

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pollen viability and longevity of Cannabis sativa, which is a significant economic crop. Viability and longevity are evaluated using different staining techniques: Alexander's, Triphenyl Tetrazolium Chloride (TCT) and Fluorochromatic Reaction (FCR). The results of this study show that FCR is the most reliable and accurate for assessing viability and longevity in C. sativa. Viability was measured over days and across 2010. Viability was greatest between 0 – 3 days of anther dehiscence and during April, whilst December had the lowest pollen viability. For Cannabis sativa the first 3 days after anthesis are the most important for fertilization, following the 3rd day there is a rapid decline in viability.

Keywords:

• pollen viability
• longevity
• fluorescein diacetate
• Cannabis sativa
• annual

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to think the two anonymous reviewers for their critical comments and extremely thoughtful suggestion on the early versions of this manuscript. Their valuable recommendations brought this manuscript to a publishable point for this esteemed journal.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Namrta Choudhary

NAMRTA CHOUDHARY is pursuing her research in the Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India in collaboration with Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. Her research is based on evaluating seasonal changes in economic and herbal drugs used in pharmaceutical industries.