Pollen Germination in some Gramineae: Pennisetum typhoideum

Abstract

POLLEN of grasses is notoriously difficult to culture, and even in Nature fertilization usually fails if pollen is not transferred directly from, the anthers to the stigma^1,2. Several previous attempts to germinate the pollen grains of the Gramineae have been unsuccessful^1–6. In this laboratory attempts were made to germinate pollen grains of Pennisetum typhoideum (varieties T.25 and T.55, I.C.1472), Zea mays (T.41 var. Kanpur) and several varieties of Hordeum vulgare, Sorghum vulgare and Triticum aestivum by the hanging-drop technique (for details of technique see Vasil⁷). Best germination was obtained in Pennisetum typhoideum, while in the remaining plants pollen tubes longer than 600µ could not be obtained even after the addition of hormones, vitamins, mineral salts and stylar and ovarian extracts.