| Nepeta pungens (Bunge) Benth. and N. racemosa Lam., both members of the Lamiaceae family, are valuable medicinal plants in Qazvin Province, Iran. This study investigated their meiotic behavior and pollen fertility due to their medicinal importance. Meiosis was studied in pollen mother cells using the squash technique, while pollen viability was assessed based on staining ability. Chromosomal analysis revealed that both species are diploid, with a chromosome number of 2n=2x=18. Both species exhibited meiotic abnormalities, including chromosomal stickiness, laggards, bridges, cytomixis, non-synchronous segregation, micronuclei, tripolar and pentapolar spindles, at varying frequencies. The meiotic index was 94% for N. racemosa and 86% for N. pungens. Pollen fertility tests showed that N. racemosa (89%) had a higher proportion of fertile pollen grains compared to N. pungens (83%). These findings enhance our understanding of the fundamental biological and genomic characteristics of these species, providing a basis for future research. Additionally, they highlight the potential implications of meiotic instability for plant breeding and conservation strategies, particularly in medicinally important species. |
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