Abstract
Aim of study: Several studies point out that storage at -20 ºC is a suitable method for preserving pollen of many species in the long term. Part of those studies indicate the total storage time at which these conditions are optimal. However, we have found a lack of information about the freezing time conditions and incubation temperature of loquat pollen. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the -20 ºC conservation temperature on loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) pollen.Area of study: The study was conducted in Montserrat (Valencia, Spain).Material and methods: Loquat flowers were collected in November 2017 and stored at -20 ºC for three time periods: 4 (T1), 6 (T2) and 8 (T3) months. Subsequently, pollen grains were incubated at different temperatures for 72 h. We analyzed (i) the effect of freezing conservation time; (ii) the effect of incubation temperature on germination; (iii) the interaction between these two factors.Main results: T1 showed higher germination percentage and tube length values (mean and maximum) than T2 and T3. The highest germination percentage (52.77%) was detected for T1 at an incubation temperature of 25 ºC. The interaction between freezing time and incubation temperature showed more consistent results for T1 than for T2 and T3.Research highlights: This suggests that storing at -20 ºC for more than 4 months affects pollen grain and reduces germination and pollen growth. Therefore, -20 ºC loquat pollen storage should not exceed 4 months.
Highlights
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) is a subtropical evergreen tree that originates from China (Blasco et al, 2016)
The aim of this study was to: (i) evaluate the germination rates of loquat pollen stored at -20 oC depending on freezing times; (ii) analyze these germination rates depending on incubation temperatures; and (iii) check the interaction between both these factors
The values observed for the longest freezing time (T3: 8-month frozen pollen) were slightly higher than those observed at T2
Summary
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) is a subtropical evergreen tree that originates from China (Blasco et al, 2016). This species was introduced in Europe in 1784 when several plants were acquired by the National Garden, Paris (Sharpe, 2010). Throughout that century, loquat orchards extended to several European countries and the United States (Agustí, 2010). Nowadays, it is cultivated mainly in subtropical climate countries. It has been observed that temperatures above 35 oC can be unfavorable for its plant growth (Freihat et al, 2008)
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