POLLEN-PISTIL INTERACTION IN THE INTERSPECIFIC CROSSES OF THE BIOFUEL CROP Jatropha curcas L.

The species Jatropha curcas L has recently been evoked attention over the globe as an important agrofuel crop. The utilization of Jatropha species in a breeding program is limited because of low crossability behavior. The scientific perception of the inherent nature of incompatibility with wild Jatropha species offers technical knowledge for successful introgression of new genes to improve biodiesel production. The present study on pollen tube behavior of wild Jatropha species in the pistil of Jatropha curcas was taken up to fix the extent of pre and post-zygotic barriers exertive in these wide crosses. In the cross of J.curcas X J. integerrimma, 51.35% pollen grains were germinated and pollen tubes entered the ovaries after four hours after pollination (4 HAP). In the other four crosses, J.curcas x J. podagrica, J. curcas x J. multifida, J. curcas x J. maheswarii and J.curcas x J. glandulifera, the level of incompatibility was found high and exhibited reduced pollen germination and abnormal pollen growth.