Existence of Two Cytotypes of Peganum harmala L. in Kashmir Himalaya and Ladakh Trans Himalaya of India

To understand plant evolution and diversification, information regarding chromosome number and meiotic behavior is imperative. The present study was carried out to determine the chromosome count, meiotic behavior, pollen fertility, and seed set of a medicinally important plant Peganum harmala. Two cytotypes, diploid and tetraploid are growing in western Himalaya; the diploid cytotype (2n=2x=24) is growing in Kashmir Himalaya, and the tetraploid (2n=4x=48) in Trans Himalaya, Ladakh. Chromosomes pair into perfect bivalents and segregate normally during anaphase-I and II of pollen mother cells. Pollen fertility ranged from 89.97 to 90.46% in the diploid cytotype and 88.0 to 90.0% in the tetraploid cytotype. The cytotypes identified can be exploited for restoration ecology, conservation, and sustainable development.