Pollen viability, germination and stigma receptivity studies in different strawberry cultivars

The present investigation was carried on 16 strawberry cultivars at the experimental field of Department of Fruit Science, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Pollen viability with acetocarmine (1%) ranged from 72.52 to 84.73 per cent and from 60.05 to 78.35 per cent with erythrocin B. Cultivar Fern recorded maximum pollen viability with both the dyes (84.73 and 78.35%, respectively). Pollen germination was best with 15 per cent sucrose solution followed by 10 per cent and the lowest was in 20 per cent solution. Stigma receptivity through visual and fruit set method was maximum on the day of anthesis in all the strawberry cultivars studied. The generated information may be useful to crop improvement programmes.