Abstract
Although genetic studies have demonstrated that hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) possesses sporophytic self-incompatibility, the pollen of this woody species is bicellular and potentially long-lived, a feature more typical of gametophytic self-incompatibility. Reports of the behavior of incompatible pollen on stigmatic surfaces conflict. Our objective was to better characterize pollen-stigma interactions in this species. Female flowers were left unpollinated, or pollinated with compatible or incompatible pollen, fixed at time intervals up to 24 hrs., and then examined using scanning electron microscopy. The stigmatic surface was of the “dry” type. Emerged styles were completely covered with elongate, rounded stigmatic papillae. Compatible pollen hydrated within 2 hrs. of pollination, and started to germinate after 4 hrs. Penetration of the stigma was intracellular in some cases. Although compatible pollen also hydrated within 2 hrs., many grains never germinated. When germination did occur, pollen tube emergence was delayed until at least 8 hrs. Incompatible pollen tubes were distorted and did not penetrate the stigmatic surface.
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