Pollen Tube Growth in vivo as a Measure of Pollen Viability

Science ◽  
1962 ◽  
Vol 138 (3538) ◽  
pp. 436-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Dempsey
2009 ◽  
Vol 148 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. CISNEROS-LÓPEZ ◽  
L. E. MENDOZA-ONOFRE ◽  
H. A. ZAVALETA-MANCERA ◽  
V. A. GONZÁLEZ-HERNÁNDEZ ◽  
G. MORA-AGUILERA ◽  
...  

SUMMARYSix pairs of isogenic lines of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) were sown in field plots in Montecillo, State of México (2240 m altitude), in 2005 and 2006. Crosses A (♀)×B (♂) were done in each pair. In A-lines, the length of pistil, stigma, style and ovary, as well as the ovary width, were measured. In B-lines, pollen diameter, viability (cytoplasm density) and production were evaluated. Pollen germination and pollen tube growth in the pistils of the A-lines, were quantified in vivo with aniline blue and epifluorescence 18 h after pollination (HAP), while fertilized pistils were counted at 96 HAP. Histological studies on both pollinated and non-pollinated pistils were performed in one male-sterile line. Seed yield, mean-seed weight, seeds per panicle and seed set (SS; seeds/flower/panicle) were determined at harvest. Pollen viability was the variable most related to pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Stigma receptivity was not associated with its morphology. Growth of the pollen tube in stigma, style and ovary was observed in the transmitting tissue 18 HAP, running parallel to the vascular tissue. Yield under chilling field temperatures (minimum average of 6 and 8°C) prevailing during flower development and pollination ranged from 7 to 12 g/panicle. The differences in seed production and SS among A×B crosses did not depend on the amount and viability of pollen.


1989 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 429 ◽  
Author(s):  
BM Potts ◽  
JB Marsden-Smedley

The effect of boric acid (0-450 ppm) and sucrose (0-40%) on pollen germination and pollen tube growth in Eucalyptus globulus, E. morrisbyi, E. ovata and E. tirnigera was examined in vitro. Over the con- centrations tested, sucrose had by far the largest effect upon both pollen germination and tube lengths. The optimum sucrose concentration for pollen germination (30%) and pollen tube growth (20%) differed markedly with very little (<lo%) germination occurring in the absence of sucrose. The interaction of sucrose and boric acid was significant. However, in general both pollen germination and pollen tube growth were increased by the addition of up to 100 ppm boric acid, but above this level the response plateauxed. The four species differed significantly in their pattern of response to both boric acid and sucrose and the predicted optima derived from analysis of response surfaces differed between species. The predicted sucrose concentration for optimal germination and growth of E. urnigera pollen was consistently less than the other species and in terms of the optimal level of boric acid for pollen tube growth species can be ranked in the order E. globulus > E. ovata > E. morrisbyi = E. urnigera. Pollen germination and tube growth of all four species on a medium comprising 20% sucrose and 200 ppm boric acid would not differ significantly from the observed maximum response of each species and this could suffice as a generalised medium. However, if only percentage germination is to be assessed 30% sucrose would be preferable. It is argued that subtle interspecific differences in optimal in vitro con- ditions for pollen germination and pollen tube growth are likely to reflect differences in pollen physiology which in vivo may have important implications for the success of hybridisation where pollen competition occurs.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 425-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory A. Lang ◽  
E. James Parrie

Pollen from six southern highbush blueberry cultivars derived from Vaccinium corymbosum L. and one or more other species (V. darrowi Camp, V. ashei Reade, and V. angustifolium Aiton) was incubated on nutrient agar to determine tetrad viability, pollen tube growth rates, and incidence of multiple pollen tube germinations. `Avonblue' pollen had a significantly lower tetrad germination percentage than `Georgiagem', `Flordablue', `Sharpblue', `Gulfcoast', or `O'Neal', all of which had >90% viable tetrads. The in vitro growth rate of `O'Neal' pollen tubes was significantly higher than the growth rates of `Sharpblue' and `Georgiagem pollen tubes. Of those tetrads that were viable, more than two pollen tubes germinated from 83% and 91% of the `Gulfcoast' and `Sharpblue' tetrads, respectively, while only 11% of the `Flordablue' tetrads produced more than two pollen tubes. The total number of pollen tubes germinated per 100 tetrads ranged from 157 (`Flordablue') to 324 (`Sharpblue'), resulting in actual pollen grain viabilities ranging from 39% to 81%. Genetic differences in pollen vigor, as indicated by pollen viability, pollen tube growth rates, and multiple pollen tube germinations, may influence blueberry growers' success in optimizing the beneficial effects of cross-pollination on fruit development.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-215
Author(s):  
Halina Skorupska ◽  
Jerzy Nawracał

Wild forms from the subgenus <em>Glycine</em> were collected and cultivated from 1977. In total 45 forms were gathered. Observations on the degree of variability of traits connected with the biology and effectiveness of flowering were made. Studies were done on the process of pollination and pollen tube growth <em>in vivo</em> in cleistogamic and chasmogamic flowers. As a result of these analyses, it was found that the phenomenon of very poor pod setting in racemes may be connected with disturbances in the process of pollination.


1992 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 328-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Marquard

In vivo pollen tube growth of pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] was estimated to be ≈ 150 μm·hour-1 from 3 to 8 hours postpollination. Pollen tubes averaged 47, 194, 405, and 946 μm after 2, 3, 4, and 8 hours postpollination, respectively. Pollen tube growth was strongly influenced by temperature, and in vitro studies demonstrated pollen germination and tube growth were optimal at 27C for `Cape Fear' pecan. In in vivo studies, tubes of cross-pollen did not grow significantly faster than tubes of self-pollen. Pollen tubes of water hickory [C. aquatica (Michx. f.) Nutt.] grew significantly faster than those of C. illinoinensis. Bitternut [C. cordiformis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] and mockernut hickory (C. tomentosa Nutt.) pollen tubes grew significantly slower on pecan stigmas than did pecan pollen. Pollen arriving first on the stigma has a decided advantage for fertilization success of pecan. The fertilization success rate of pecan pollen arriving 24 hours after first pollen arrival was <3%.


HortScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 625-631
Author(s):  
Thomas M. Kon ◽  
Melanie A. Schupp ◽  
Hans E. Winzeler ◽  
James R. Schupp

The use of short-duration applications of thermal energy (thermal shock; TS) as an apple blossom thinning strategy was investigated. Effects of TS temperature and timing on stigmatic receptivity, pollen tube growth in vivo, and visible leaf injury were evaluated in multiple experiments on ‘Crimson Gala’. TS treatments were applied to blossoms and spur leaves using a variable temperature heat gun. TS temperatures ≥86 °C had a strong inhibitory effect on pollen tube growth on the stigmatic surface and in the style. TS temperatures >79 °C reduced average pollen tube length to less than the average style length. Timing of TS treatment (0 or 24 hours after pollination) was not an influential factor, indicating that effective TS temperatures reduced pollen tube growth up to 24 hours after the pollination event. The onset of thermal injury to vegetative tissues occurred at similar TS temperatures that inhibited pollen tube growth in vivo. Excessive leaf injury (>33%) was observed at 95 °C, suggesting relatively narrow differences in thermal sensitivity between reproductive and vegetative tissues. Inconsistent TS temperatures and/or responses were observed in some experiments. Ambient air temperature may have influenced heat gun output temperatures and/or plant susceptibility. While results suggest some promise, additional work is required to validate and further develop this concept.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0260576
Author(s):  
Massaine Bandeira e Sousa ◽  
Luciano Rogerio Braatz de Andrade ◽  
Everton Hilo de Souza ◽  
Alfredo Augusto Cunha Alves ◽  
Eder Jorge de Oliveira

Cassava breeding is hampered by high flower abortion rates that prevent efficient recombination among promising clones. To better understand the factors causing flower abortion and propose strategies to overcome them, we 1) analyzed the reproductive barriers to intraspecific crossing, 2) evaluated pollen-pistil interactions to maximize hand pollination efficiency, and 3) identified the population structure of elite parental clones. From 2016 to 2018, the abortion and fertilization rates of 5,748 hand crossings involving 91 parents and 157 progenies were estimated. We used 16,300 single nucleotide polymorphism markers to study the parents’ population structure via discriminant analysis of principal components, and three clusters were identified. To test for male and female effects, we used a mixed model in which the environment (month and year) was fixed, while female and male (nested to female) were random effects. Regardless of the population structure, significant parental effects were identified for abortion and fertilization rates, suggesting the existence of reproductive barriers among certain cassava clones. Matching ability between cassava parents was significant for pollen grains that adhered to the stigma surface, germinated pollen grains, and the number of fertilized ovules. Non-additive genetic effects were important to the inheritance of these traits. Pollen viability and pollen-pistil interactions in cross- and self-pollination were also investigated to characterize pollen-stigma compatibility. Various events related to pollen tube growth dynamics indicated fertilization abnormalities. These abnormalities included the reticulated deposition of callose in the pollen tube, pollen tube growth cessation in a specific region of the stylet, and low pollen grain germination rate. Generally, pollen viability and stigma receptivity varied depending on the clone and flowering stage and were lost during flowering. This study provides novel insights into cassava reproduction that can assist in practical crossing and maximize the recombination of contrasting clones.


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