Effect of Rehydration on in Vitro Germination of Loblolly Pine Pollen
Abstract At moisture contents of less than 15%, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) pollen displayed a marked sensitivity to rehydration prior to in vitro germination testing. At moisture contents above 15%, percent germination was relatively insensitive to increasing moisture content. The relationshipbetween length of rehydration time and pollen moisture content was highly significant. However, the commonly used 16-hour rehydration period is longer than is necessary since 1-2 hours of rehydration adequately ensure peak germination. Shortening of the rehydration period allows operationaltree improvement programs to test a greater number of pollen lots in a given period of time. South. J. App. For. 14(1):48-51.