Stomatal behavior of Eruca sativa L. (Rocket Plant)

Abstract

In present study two characters related to stomata of Eruca sativa have been studies like mean number of stomata per unit area and the number of chloroplast per guard cell. Different varieties of rocket plant (Eruca sativa L.) differ genotypically among themselves in stomatal frequency and number of chloroplasts/guard cells. Among parental varieties L.V. has the highest MNS (Mean number of stomata) followed by TMLC and RTM -314. Among the hybrids RTM -314 X TMLC revealed the lowest number of MNS whereas L.V. X RTM -314 revealed the highest number of MNS. For MNC (Mean number of chloroplast) too, considerable inter varietal variation was noted. L.V. was characterized by having the lowest mean number of chloroplast (8.07 chloroplasts/per guard cell) and TMLC having the highest MNC. Among the hybrids L.V. X TMLC exhibited lowest MNC whereas TMLC X L.V.I exhibited highest mean number of chloroplast (15.09 chloroplasts/per guard cell). The superiority of their F1 hybrids in these parameters indicates heterosis as a result of increased heterozygosity in them