Department of Botany, R. B. S. College, Agra
A comparative study on pollen abortion in cytoplasmic (CMS), chemically induced male-sterile (IMS) and virus infected (VI) plants of Capsicum annuum revealed that the hypertrophied tapetal cells crushed the microspores either at late tetrad or vacuolate pollen stage by occluding the anther sac. The pro-cambial strand in the anther connective failed to differentiate and possessed hyaline granules. It is concluded from these observations that tapetal hypertrophy appears to be haustorial in nature and is a reaction in search of nutrition. Presence of hyaline granules in the anther connective may either be due to accumulation of minerals left unutilized during pollen development or due to vascular inhibition.
