Pollen germination of Larix sibirica (Siberian larch) in vitro

Abstract

Mature pollen grains of Siberian larch were successfully germinated in vitro for the first time. Mature grains, containing two prothallial cells, a generative cell, and a tube cell, were incubated in stock solution B for periods up to 5 days. At the 2-day stage, the generative cell had divided into a stalk cell and body cell. In 5 days, the body nucleus had divided into two male nuclei contained within the body cell. Pollen germination was limited to elongation of the intine towards the distal pole, accompanied by a splitting of the exine, but without any suggestion of the formation of a pollen tube. This supports the suggestion of previous studies in vivo on other species of Larix pollen that a pollen tube does not form before the pollen grain reaches the nucellus of the ovule.