Abstract
<em>Salix myrtilloides</em> L. (swamp willow) is the most endangered species among the boreal <em>Salix</em> species in Poland. The number and size of its population have been decreasing constantly since the 1990s. The main aim of the study was to determine the viability of collected <em>S. myrtilloides</em> pollen and optimal conditions for its in vitro germination. The pollen of <em>S. myrtilloides</em> was collected from 25 male individuals from a population growing in the mid-forest peat bog Dekowina (Sobibór Landscape Park) in May 2014. Two methods were applied to estimate the viability of fresh and stored pollen: staining pollen with 2% acetocarmine solution and in vitro germinability. Various temperature (11°C, 23°C) and light conditions as well as different concentrations of glucose (1%, 2.5%, 5%, or 7.5%) were tested for the optimization of in vitro germination. We documented relatively high <em>S. myrtilloides</em> pollen viability. Pollen tube growth was found to be largely affected by both glucose content in the medium and thermal conditions during germination. Fresh pollen germinated most effectively on the medium with 2.5% glucose (stored pollen – in 5% glucose), at 23°C and in the presence of light. We conclude that pollen viability of <em>S. myrtilloides</em> does not seem to be a limiting factor for reproductive success. Moreover, the pollen is not sterile even after storage for 12 months. The <em>S. myrtilloides</em> individuals from the Dekowina peat bog produce viable pollen grains that are able to germinate and therefore it can be used to pollinate other populations present in the Polesie Lubelskie region for gene pool enrichment.
Highlights
Many plant species in natural peat bog ecosystems in Poland are threatened with extinction
The S. myrtilloides population which exists in the mid-forest Dekowina peat bog (51°26.689' N, 023°31.368' E), located in the eastern part of the Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District (Sobibór Landscape Park) in the Polesie Lubelskie region, was chosen for the research due to its size, optimal sexual structure, and a large proportion of flowering individuals [12]
The analysis of the data concerning S. myrtilloides pollen proved that fresh pollen germinated most effectively on the medium with 2.5% glucose, at 23°C and in the presence of light
Summary
Many plant species in natural peat bog ecosystems in Poland are threatened with extinction. These are often relict species whose proper functioning depends on specific habitat conditions in the stands. They are characterized by a narrow range of ecological tolerance and high sensitivity to environmental change. Peatland ecosystems, which are refuges for relict species, are constantly under direct or indirect pressure of human activity. Due to changing values of the physicochemical factors, and the biocenotic ones, many species that are strongly bound to wetland habitats withdraw from their natural stands. Habitat fragmentation adversely affects the proper functioning of single populations, primarily through their spatial isolation. The lack of gene flow among populations may lead to impoverishment of the gene pool and reduce the adaptation of individuals
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