PALYNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF SOME ACCESSIONS OF MANGIFERA INDICA L. FROM KANYAKUMARI AND THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICTS OF SOUTH INDIA, INDIA

The pollen morphology of nine accessions of Mangifera indica L were elucidated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), supplemented by light microscopy (LM) and micrometry. The pollen grains of all accessions were tri-zonocolporate. The shape of the pollen was ranged from sub-prolate to prolate-spheroidal. With regard to exine ornamentation, striate reticulate pattern was the most dominant condition, while striate elongate pattern was rarely observed. Similarly striate reticulate condition with foveolate appearance was also observed in certain accessions. Ectoexine was found to be thicker than endoexine. Exine thickness, colpus length, colpus breadth, apocolpium and mesocolpium were also measured.