Determination of the Best Pollen Extraction Method for Brinjal Hybrid Seed Production Under Polytunnel (Solanum melongena L.)

Pollen viability and fruit set are two most important factors determining the seed yield of hybrid seed production of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). An investigation was carried out at CIC farm Pelwehera from July to October 2023 to find out the best pollen extraction method to optimize the male: female ratio and to reduce the unnecessary maintenance of male plants. Accordingly, two experiments were conducted. First experiment was a three-factor factorial, factors being four anther drying methods (zero drying, desiccator drying, drying under 75 W bulb, and drying under 100 W bulb) two anther sizes (full and half) and two pollen extraction treatments (normal shake in the container and shake in the container with iron balls). Total number of treatments were 17 with the control treatment of pollen collected through applying gentle vibration to the undried anthers. Experiment was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven replications. Two drying methods (drying under 75 W bulb and drying under 100 W bulb) using full anthers and pollen extraction treatment of shaking with iron balls recorded the highest pollen yield with comparatively higher practical feasibility. Based on the results observed in the first experiment, three treatments (above two drying methods with the control treatment used in the first experiment) were chosen for the second experiment which was laid out in RCBD with 3 replications to test the pod setting percentage, seed weight per pod, seed germination percentage, and seedling vigor index of collected pollens to evaluate the hybrid seed production and utilization efficiency in relation to pollen extraction method. Drying full anthers under 100 W bulb anthers above 60 cm for 24 h with the pollen extraction treatment of shaking in the container with iron balls was found to be the best pollen extraction method to increase hybrid seed yield with higher quality in brinjal.