Incidence of Apomixis in Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), a Dioecious Taxon of Immense Economic Importance

Hippophae rhamnoides L., commonly called sea buckthorn, is a core dicot of the family Elaeagnaceae placed in the order Rosales. The plant is a treasure trove of bioactive substances with a potential to sustain more than one kind of industry. Countries with its natural populations are eyeing it as a new millennium food, as well as health and beauty resource. Valued for all its parts, the species is prized particularly for its fruit pulp and seed oil, which among others are a rich source of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. In Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India, the species grows luxuriantly in Ladakh along riversides of the Indus, Suru, Shyok and Zanskar. H. rhamnoides L. is strictly dioecious in majority of the populations surveyed.