Cadmium- and Chromium-Induced Aberrations in the Reproductive Biology of Hordeum vulgare

Five partially tolerant and five non-tolerant accessions of Hordeum vulgare (Barley) against a combination of cadmium and hexavalent chromium were crossed after screening to produce intra-category hybrids, and the intra-category genetic variability and their effect on reproductive biology were analyzed. A differential response for the amount of meiotic irregularity was recorded between different (Cd+Cr)-treated sets of hybrids. This could be due to a differential response of the genotypes for the same concentration of (Cd+Cr). These two heavy metals in combination reduced the number of pollen grains per anther and significantly increased pollen sterility.