POLLINATION MECHANISMS AND PLANT REPRODUCTION

By ANTHONY SANCHEZ

1 1 INTRODUCTION CICER ARIETINUM L COMMONLY KNOWN AS CHICKPEA OR BENGAL GRAM IS A HERBACEOUS GRAIN LEGUME WITH HUGE NUTRITIONAL IMPORTANCE IN THE HUMAN DIET IT IS GROWN AS A RABI SEASON CROP AND THRIVES WELL IN A COOL CLIMATE HOWEVER REQUIRES HIGH TEMPERATURE DURING THE POD FILLING STAGE SANDY LOAM SOILS WITH A GOOD DRAINAGE SYSTEM ARE BEST SUITED FOR THEIR CULTIVATION BASED ON SEED SIZE AND COLOR CHICKPEAS ARE BROADLY CLASSIFIED INTO TWO TYPES KABULI TYPE WITH A BOLD SEED COVERED IN A THIN WHITE TO PALE CREAM SEED COAT AND DESI TYPE WITH A SMALL SEED COVERED IN A THICK BROWN TO THE YELLOW SEED COAT AMONG THE LEGUMES CHICKPEA IS CONSIDERED AS MOST NUTRITIOUS WITH A GOOD AMOUNT OF CARBOHYDRATES PROTEINS 20 24 FATS FIBERS SUGARS ETC WITH A LITTLE OR NO ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS TABLE 1 1 FIG 1 1 ICRISAT 2005 USDA 2021 IN ADDITION CHICKPEAS SERVE AS A RICH SOURCE OF MINERALS SUCH AS PHOSPHOROUS MAGNESIUM IRON AND ZINC DUE TO HIGHER PROTEIN CONTENT CHICKPEA SUPPLE MENT THE PROTEIN DEFICIENT CEREAL BASED HUMAN DIET CHICKPEA IS CONSUMED IN VARIOUS FRESH AND PROCESSED FORMS ITS SEEDS ARE EATEN AS FRESH OR FRIED AND ROASTED ITS FLOUR IS USED IN BREAD MAKING IN ADDITION TO FOOD USES CHICKPEA POSSESS HUGE THERAPEUTIC IMPORTANCE IN HERBAL MEDICINE AND COSMETICS TABLE 1 1 NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CHICKPEA RAW DRY WEIGHT PER 100 G 3 5 OZ NUTRIENT VALUES AND WEIGHTS ARE FOR EDIBLE PORTION QUANTITY 100 G 49 MG 48 MG 3 7 G VITAMIN C TOTAL ASCORBIC ACID 1 3 MG VITAMIN B TABLE 1 1 CONTINUED VITAMIN A RAE VITAMIN A IU 27 IU VITAMIN E ALPHA TOCOPHEROL VITAMIN K PHYLLOQUINONE FATTY ACIDS TOTAL SATURATED SFA 14 SFA 16 SFA 18 FATTY ACIDS TOTAL MONOUNSATURATED MUFA 16 MUFA 18 FATTY ACIDS TOTAL POLYUNSATURATED PUFA 18 FATTY ACIDS TOTAL TRANS ASPARTIC ACID FIGURE 1 1 MAJOR NUTRIENTS IN CHICKPEA SOURCE ICRISAT 1 2 AREA PRODUCTION AND YIELD GLOBALLY CHICKPEA IS GROWN OVER A VAST AREA OF CULTIVATED LAND THAT PRODUCES A MILLION TONNES ANNUALLY THE DATA ON AREA HARVESTED YIELD AND PRODUCTION OF TOP CHICKPEA PRODUCING COUNTRIES ARE FURNISHED IN TABLE 1 2 EVEN THOUGH INDIA IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS OF CHICKPEA YET IT IMPORTS HUGE QUAN TITIES OF LEGUMES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO MEET ITS DOMESTIC DEMANDS THE WIDE DEMAND SUPPLY GAP IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE UNAVAILABILITY OF HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES OF CHICKPEA MOREOVER THE PREVAILING FOOD HABIT OF INDIANS MAKES CHICKPEA AN INSEPARABLE INGREDIENT OF DIET 1 3 BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION CHICKPEA IS A COOL SEASON LEGUME OF THE FABACEAE FAMILY WITH A DEEP TAP ROOT SYSTEM ERECT GREEN STEM AND IMPARIPINNATE LEAVES ALL EXTERNAL PARTS ARE COVERED BY GLANDULAR HAIRS FLOWERS BORNE SINGLY IN AXILLARY RACEMES ARE PEDICELLATE BISEXUAL WITH THE PAPILIONACEOUS COROLLA 9 1 STAMENS MONOCAR PELLARY UNILOCULAR SUPERIOR OVARY WITH A SLIGHTLY BENT STYLE AND BLUNT STIGMA PISTIL AND ANTHERS REMAIN INSIDE THE KEEL AND SELF POLLINATION IS THE ONLY WAY TABLE 1 2 DATA OF AREA HARVESTED YIELD AND PRODUCTION OF TOP CHICKPEA PRODUCING COUNTRIES SOURCE FAOSTAT ACCESSED ON JULY 15