Tagetes Pollen and petals under foldscope

Dec 18, 2018 • 11:11 AM UTC

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Microorganisms

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Tagetes erecta commonly called African marigold belongs to family Asteraceae is an easy-to-grow flowering annual that requires very little maintenance.
Marigolds are known for their ornamental importance as well as for production of lutein, the yellow compound. This is an important chemical for eye health, and some companies breed marigolds specifically to produce blooms rich in lutein.
Lately flower size has increased and the foliage reduced commercially. Leaves are pinnately compound and leaflets are lanceolate, serrated. Flowers are single to double hybrids with large globular heads. Flower colour varies from lemon yellow to yellow, golden yellow or orange.
Now a days dwarf varieties with prolific flowering are produced by using male sterile African marigold ( T. erecta ) and French marigold ( T. patula ).Golden orange marigolds were plucked from the college garden and their disc florets gently teased and fixed on a slide to observe under foldscope.