The morphological diversity of pollen in the genus Gossypium

Abstract Background Plant pollen has diverse morphological characteristics that can be consistently passed down from generation to generation. Information on morphology is thus immensely important for plant classification and identification. In the genus Gossypium , however, in-depth research lacking, with only few reports limited cotton species. To evaluate diversity of in we therefore conducted a comprehensive analysis 33 species varieties using scanning electron microscopy. Results The analyzed samples exhibited common features, including spherical shapes, radial symmetry, echination, panporation, operculation, while size, spine shape, density length showed distinctive features. Pollen size varied significantly among species, diameters ranging 62.43 μm G. harknessii 103.41 barbadense . exine had an echinate sculptural texture, spines were mostly conical or sharply but occasionally rod-like. Spine 173 incanum 54 gossypioides ranged 3.53 herbaceum 9.47 addition, grouped at genetic distance 3.83 into three clusters. Cluster I comprised five allotetraploid AD-genome four D-genome one K-genome II included 13 diploid A, B, D, E, G genomes, whereas III consisted E-genome Conclusions Although alone are not enough resolve taxonomic systematic relationships within our results add knowledge palynomorphology contribute phenological information these taxa. Our findings should aid future phylogenetic studies genus.