ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Exploring the Pollen Fertility Estimation
of Selected Taxa of Boraginaceae from Pakistan
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1
Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid- i- Azam University Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
2
Institute of Botany Academy Sciences Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 100125, Uzbekistan
3
Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School
of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
4
Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University,
P.O. 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
5
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
63100, Pakistan
6
Department of Life Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan
7
Navoi State Pedagogical Institute, Navai, 210100, Uzbekistan
Submission date: 2024-08-03
Final revision date: 2024-10-10
Acceptance date: 2025-01-27
Online publication date: 2025-03-27
Corresponding author
Shabir Ahmad
Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid- i- Azam University Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
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ABSTRACT
This research aimed to evaluate the pollen fertility and micromorphology of Boraginaceae
species across Pakistan, with an emphasis on how population size influences reproduction. A total
of 27 species of the Boraginaceae family were collected from Pakistan, and light microscopy was
used to examine pollen parameters, including size, shape, exine thickness, and fertility percentage.
The findings revealed a range of pollen shapes, including prolate, prolate-spheroidal, sub-prolate, oblate,
sub-oblate, and oblate-spheroidal, with oblate and sub-oblate being the most frequent. Exine thickness
varied significantly among species, with Alkanna tinctoria having the thickest exine (2.80 μm), while
Onosma hispida exhibited the thinnest exine (0.75 μm). These variations in pollen shapes and exine
thickness play a crucial role in species identification and may influence reproductive success, as thicker
exines offer structural protection against UV radiation, desiccation, and microbial attack, enhancing
pollen survival during pollination. Fertility rates also varied, with Trichodesma indicum exhibiting
the highest pollen fertility rate (94.94%), whereas Arnebia hispidissima had the lowest (60.50%) with
an average fertility of 78.83% across the species. Larger populations exhibited higher pollen viability,
while small, isolated populations had reduced fertility, demonstrating the significant effect of population
size on reproduction. This study uncovers previously undocumented pollen fertility and morphology differences among Boraginaceae species in Pakistan, adding valuable information to current knowledge
and emphasizing elements that influence reproductive success.