Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Agricultural Complex, H. P. University, Palampur
Online published on 25 January, 2012.
The mass pollination after cutting off the distal one-third lemma and palea for emasculation was 3 times more efficacious with respect to the crossed seed set per unit time than the individual pollination in barley under Palampur conditions. The use of the central 2 rows of florets for crossing was not only more convenient but also produced better results than the lateral 4 rows. For the individual pollination technique, the slit method of opening the floret for emasculation was found to be superior to the foreceps-sliding one which was much more tedious too. In wheat also, the mass pollination technique turned out to be as many as 13 times more efficacious than the individual pollination. The test weight of the seeds set by the former was significantly less than the latter, but their germinability was normal.
