Description:
<p>In the present study, male meiosis was investigated in Lotus corniculatus from different geographical areas of the Kashmir Himalayas. The 2n = 4x = 24 in one cytotype of var. minor is reported for the first time worldwide, whereas 2n = 2x = 12 for var. corniculatus, var. japonicus and var. minor are reported for the first time in India. The meiotic course in the three populations of var. minor is highly abnormal as shown by chromatin transfer between different pollen mother cells (PMCs) which is associated with other meiotic abnormalities affecting pollen fertility and pollen size. Further, in the diploid population of var. minor, due to cytomixis, a few PMCs have been observed with a double chromatin mass and two nucleoli at diakinesis as well as almost double the size of normal PMCs. However, the frequency of these PMCs is very low (1.81 %). As a result of cytomixis, such PMCs might have played a role in the production of infraspecific polyploidy in the species.</p>