Abstract
A method for in vitro preservation and manipulation of pollen viability based on simple changes in osmotic potential (sucrose concentrations) in culture media was developed using tobacco pollen as the experimental model. High osmotic potentials were capable of reversibly inhibiting pollen germination, preserving its viability at room temperature for long periods, as assessed by subsequent incubation in germination medium. When pollen was pre-germinated for different periods and subsequently incubated in 80 % sucrose medium (inhibiting medium) there was a progressive decrease in its viability, which was a trend best described by a quadratic regression line. Nevertheless, very small variations in pollen-tube lengths and viable pollen grains more resistant to the pre-germination step were detected by this procedure. Consequences and potential applications of these findings were discussed for use in analyses of variability, selection in gametophytic populations and pollen storage.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call