Evaluation of Some Pollinizers and Their Suitability on Productivity and Quality of Walnut (Juglans regia) Cultivars

The present study was carried out at Horticultural Farm, Division of Fruit Science, SKUAST, Shalimar, Srinagar (Kashmir) during 2012–13 to evaluate various walnut pollinizers in improving the productivity and nut quality. Pollen germination and its viability, pollen production rate, anther and pollen morphology of ‘SKAU-W-0020’ and ‘SKUA-W-0022’ and influence of pollination method i.e. open and cross on nut and kernel characteristics was studied. Highest pollen viability (91.4%) was observed in selection ‘SKAU-W-0020’. Maximum pollen germination (51.5%) was observed in ‘SKAU-W-0020’ on medium containing agar agar powder (1%) + sucrose (15%) + boric acid (100 ppm) + CaCl2 (1 mM). Pollen production varied significantly within genotypes with maximum (1, 43, 75000) in ‘SKAU-W-0020’ and minimum (1, 20, 60000) in ‘SKAU-W0022’. Maximum anther length (2457 μm) and width (1228 μm) was in ‘SKAU-W-0020’; however, maximum pollen length (35 μm) and width (39.6 μm) was in ‘SKAU-W-0022’. Nut weight, diameter, length and kernel length, weight and kernel percentage in ‘SKAU-W-0025’ and ‘SKAU-W0015’ increased through cross pollination, however in ‘SKAU-W-0024’ and ‘SKAU-W-0008’ reverse trend was observed.