Evaluation of Germination Capacity of Stored Pollen of Almond and Peach

Abstract

Pollen viability and its germination capability for fruit set in are almond and peach essential. To optimize the pollen culture medium of almond and peach and selection of best medium, the present study was carried out with 48 different culture media containing different compositions including diverse levels of boric acid (0 and 100mg/1), calcium nitrate (0,150and300mg/l،), magnesium sulphate (0 and200mg/l), potassium nitrate (0 and100 mg/l), sucrose (10 and15 %) and agar (1 %). Following optimization of the best medium, in order to determine the viability of stored pollens of almond and peach cultivars, three months after maintenance at 4°C,-20°C and -80°C was assessed through evaluation of their germination percentage using optimized medium. Maximum pollen germination (99.80 %) was recorded in B2M2K1C2S medium (boric acid 100 mg/l, magnesium sulphate 100 mg/l, potassium nitrate 0.0 mg/l, calcium nitrate 0.0 mg/l, sucrose 15 % and agar 1%). Lowest germination percentage (30.57 %) was found in B1K1M2C3S1 medium (boric acid 0.0 mg/l, potassium nitrate 0.0 mg/l, magnesium sulphate 100 mg/l, calcium nitrate 150 mg/l, sucrose 10 % and agar 1 %). Data recorded for pollen germination of stored pollen showed that Rabie Pollen stored at -80°C gave highest germination (90.66 %) while the lowest germination (64.00 %) was observed in Anjiri pollen stored at +4°C. The findings of the present study may help the fruit breeders and whoever is involved in pollen analysis studies.