Anther and pollen grain culture of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary Factors favouring callus proliferation and subsequent regeneration of plants from pollen grains of rice anthers (Oryza sativa L., cvx. Bahia, Girona, Balilla × Sollana and Sequial) were determined. Cultivar differences in response were found, such as a high rate of haploid plant regeneration.In addition, isolated pollen grain culture was used to induce tissue proliferation outside the anther walls. The frequency of callus formation from isolated pollen grains was very low. It was necessary to preculture the anthers before pollen grain separation, in order to accomplish a successful development later. Root differentiation was observed in some of the obtained callus.     

Long-term storage of Narcissus anthers and pollen in liquid nitrogen

Summary Three methods for the long-term storage of narcissus pollen were compared; anthers in glass vials held in a desiccator with calcium chloride at 2°C, and polypropylene straws containing either anthers or naked pollen immersed in liquid nitrogen. Pollen from all storage treatments showed 15–16% germination in vitro after 3 days, compared with 27.4% for fresh pollen. Seed set per pod using pollen stored for 3 days was comparable to that of fresh pollen. However, after 351 days, pollen from anthers at 2°C exhibited only 0.1% germination and failed to set seed whereas no further change in germination rate was recorded for pollen from the two liquid nitrogen treatments and seed set was still equivalent to fresh pollen.     

Cajanus platycarpus (Benth.) Maesen as the donor of new pigeonpea cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) system

Cajanus platycarpus, a distantly related wild species, was successfully crossed with cultivated pigeonpea using embryo rescue and tissue culture techniques. Advance generation lines showed a range of desirable characters including cytoplasmic male sterility. A range of pigeonpea cultivars restored fertility and was maintained by a few lines including cultivar ICPL 85010. Clasmogamous flowers were observed in the male sterile lines. In such flowers anthers did not form di-adlephous bundle. Cytological analysis revealed that meiosis proceeded normally till the tetrad stage in those anthers with pollen grains. After which many of the pollen grains turned sterile. In the anthers with pollen grains, dehiscence was not observed, thus creating functional sterility. In many other anthers, pollen mother cells (PMCs) were not formed at all, giving rise to sepalous anthers. In conclusion two mechanisms of male sterility existed, one was premeiotic, where PMCs did not form and in the second, although PMCs gave rise to pollen grains, they were either partially or totally sterile accompanied by non-dehiscence of anther wall.     

Monohaploid plants from anthers of a dihaploid genotype of Solanum tuberosum L.

Summary Monohaploid Solanum tuberosum plants were produced from the anthers of a dihaploid genotype. From another dihaploid genotype plants containing 36 chromosomes were obtained. For plantlet production anthers containing pollen at the uninucleate microspore stage were inoculated on a Linsmaier and Skoog-based medium supplemented with 1 mg/1 indole-3-acetic acid and 1 mg/1 benzyl aminopurine.Anthers from donor plants grown either in the summer or in the winter responded similarly on a range of media. Anther response in the form of callus induction and root formation was at least partly dependent on the genotype of the donor dihaploid plant.     

The Response of Anther Culture in a Genetically Wide Material of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

In a screening experiment with 215 different winter cultivars of Triticum aestivum L. for response in anther culture, pollen embryos or callus were obtained from 200 different cultivars and green plants from 93 different cultivars. On average, from the whole material, 1.3 green plants were obtained per 100 anthers cultured. Variance components estimated from replicates with selected parts of the plant material indicated that for the formation of pollen embryos from anthers, interactions between genotypes and replications were dominating, accounting for 45 to 50 per cent of the variation. Main effects from genotypes were less prominent, accounting for 25 to 30 per cent of the variation, and the replications showed relatively little effect, accounting, for about 4 to 12 per cent of total variation. Regeneration of plants from pollen embryos or callus was not significantly influenced by either genotype or replicates. The frequencies of plants regenerated being green, however, were influenced from both genotype and environments contributing 42.5 and 34.9 per cent of the total variation respectively, while only minor interactions between genotype and environments were indicated for this character.     

Allotetraploid hybrids produced by protoplast fusion for seedless triploid <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Citrus</Emphasis> breeding

In connection with crop improvement strategies for marginal regions it has been proposed to increase the outcrossing rate in barley which would presuppose high and persistent pollen viability to ensure successful cross fertilisation. The present study was designed to investigate the viability of mature pollen from extruded and non-extruded anthers of cultivated and wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp vulgare and ssp spontaneum, respectively) in comparison with the closely related but obligatory outcrossing species H. bulbosum. Pollen viability (PV) was assessed employing the p-phenylenediamine-peroxidase-test on pollen derived from spikes or anthers immediately after collection and after treatment at 20, 30 and 40 ^∘C for 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 h. The latter treatment was interposed after 8 h by a 10 h period of darkness at 12 ^∘C and thus called 26 h treatment, consecutively. Initial PV was high with 98% across all genotypes and even at 40 ^∘C did not fall below 80% after 8 h. After the 26 h treatment, PV of two H. vulgare genotypes originating from semi-arid regions and of H. bulbosum fell below 60% while the other genotypes retained a PV of > 80%. Viability of pollen of extruded anthers in H. vulgare ssp. spontaneum was on average slightly but significantly lower than PV of non-extruded anthers but still remained above 90%, even after the 26 h treatment at 40 ^∘C. Pollen viability of the outcrossing species H. bulbosum ranged on a very similar level as PV of H. vulgare. Results indicate that pollen of H. vulgare retains a sufficiently high level of viability to ensure successful cross-fertilisation over a period of at least 26 h even at high temperatures of up to 40 ^∘C.     

Characterization of cytoplasmic male sterility in Petunia hybrida and Zea mays. Localization and activity of cytochrome c oxidase

Summary Anthers of male fertile, cytoplasmic male sterile (cms), and restored male fertile Petunia hybrida, are analyzed for cytochrome c oxidase (cox) activity in subsequent stages of microsporogenesis, and compared with anthers of male fertile, cms-S and cms-C Zea mays. The cox activity is determined in anther extracts and cytochemically. In petunia anthers, the first differences in cox activity occur from meiosis onward. However, at these stages, the initial symptoms of degeneration are already apparent. It is suggested that the decline in enzyme activity of the cms petunia anthers is the result rather than the cause of the non-formation of functional pollen.In maize anthers, the cox activity of sterile-type anthers is reduced in comparison with fertile-type anthers from premeiosis onward. There are also consistent cytochemical differences in the mitochondrial organization of cox activity between pollen of cms-S and male ferile maize anthers. In fertile-type mitochondria, the DAB reaction product indicating cox activity is localized in the cristae and within the space between the outer and inner limiting membranes of the organelles. In mitochondria of pollen of cms-S maize, cox activity is only observed between the outer and inner membranes of the mitochondria. The biochemical and cytochemical differences are observed at stages of development at which no structural signs of degeneration are apparent. The results suggest that cms in maize correlates with deviations in cytochrome c oxidase activity.Abbreviations cox cytochrome c oxidase - DAB 3,3-diaminobenzidine     

Production of 2n pollen of Asiatic hybrid lilies by nitrous oxide treatment

Tetraploid varieties of lilies have superior agronomic traits such as large flowers and resistance to physiological disorders. In the present study, we attempted to induce 2n pollen of Asiatic hybrid lilies by arresting the meiotic process with nitrous oxide (N₂O) gas. To determine which meiotic stage is optimal for induction of 2n pollen, plants with attached buds at different meiotic stages were treated with N₂O for 24 h in a pressure-tolerant cylinder. A few 2n pollen grains were induced using plants with anthers in prophase I, whereas mixed pollen grains of differing size were produced using plants undergoing meiotic metaphase predominantly in anthers. Although normal lily pollen grains are elliptical, nitrous oxide exposure induced giant pollen grains that appeared spherical. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the giant pollen grains were diploid. When mixed pollen that included normal and giant pollen was crossed to tetraploid cultivars, the resulting seedlings were tetraploid and aneuploid, indicating that the giant pollen grains were diploids that could generate tetraploid seedlings through fusion to diploid eggs supplied from a tetraploid female parent. Thus, treatment with N₂O is useful for the production of 2n lily pollen and may provide a new approach for tetraploid lily breeding.     

Induction of 2n pollen in tulips by arresting the meiotic process with nitrous oxide gas

Triploid tulips have agronomically desirable traits such as vigorous growth and large flower size, but only a portion of all cultivated tulips is triploid. To apply 2n pollen to polyploid breeding of tulips, the polyploidizing agent, nitrous oxide gas (N₂O), was applied to bulbs. In tulips, meiosis in anthers occurs inside the bulbs from mid- to late-October. When meiosis in anthers (excised from bulbs) reached metaphase I, we treated other bulbs of the same clones with N₂O for 24–48 h. Most of the treated plants produced pollen grains with a wide-ranging or bimodal size distribution, indicating a mixture of n, 2n and aneuploid pollen grains. The use of pollen containing a relatively high proportion of giant pollen grains tended to yield larger numbers of triploids in the progeny. The number of giant pollen grains could be increased when N₂O-treated pollen grains were suspended in 10% sucrose and then sieved through a nylon mesh. Very few polyploids were observed in some cross combinations, even those involving pollen with a relatively high proportion of giant grains. Even so, this low polyploid yield most likely is due to a triploid block, because the capsules obtained in the crosses of the diploid×N₂O-treated plants contained some abnormal seeds, which were mostly triploid. Embryo culture was useful in rescuing abnormal embryos. The present study reveals that 2n pollen can be produced at high frequency using N₂O during tulip breeding.     

Characterization of cytoplasmic male sterility in Petunia hybrida. I. Localization,composition and activity of esterases

Summary Anthers of male fertile, cytosterile and restored male fertile clones of Petunia hybrida were compared for esterase activity and composition in subsequent stages of microsporogenesis. Three methods were applied (i) ultra-thin layer isoelectric focussing on polyacryl amide gels, (ii) quantitative spectrophotometrical assay, (iii) histochemical determination of total esterase activity associated to the azo-coupling method (Pearse, 1972).In male fertile and restorer idiotypes the isozyme patterns were quite similar. Both the number and intensity of bands increased gradually till the tetrad stage. In contrast, esterase activity in cytosterile anthers remained at a low level and hardy any new bands showed up in later stages. This unvariable, low activity level in cytosterile anthers was also found in the spectrophotometric assay. Histochemical determinations revealed that in male fertile anthers esterase activity is concentrated in the outer tapetal layer at late prophase and that it accumulates there till the early microspore stage. In male sterile anthers esterase accumulation in the tapetal cells stops at the moment that tapetal breakdown becomes visible. This suggests that differences in esterase activity and composition are an effect rather than a cause of the failing pollen formation.     

Evaluation of the High-temperature Tolerance of Floral Organs in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The development of floral organs in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is related to squares and yield formation. The germination percentage of pollen grains, the rate of anther dehiscence and the length of filaments and styles of 11 upland cotton cultivars were determined before and after high-temperature periods by pollen grain culture in vitro. We aimed to analyze the effects of high temperature on pollen germination in styles and on stamen characteristics. The number of pollen tubes in styles and cytological structure of anthers were also tested under simulation of high temperatures by paraffin sectioning of cotton anthers. We found that the germination percentage of pollen grains and rate of anthers dehiscence of Ke 1053, Simian 4 and the male parent of Xiangzamian 3 were greater than those of other cultivars under high field temperatures. There was no significant difference in the length ratio of filaments and styles and filaments length between 11 upland cotton cultivars under high field temperatures. After high-temperature periods in the field, the difference in pollen germination percentage, anther dehiscence, style and filament length between the 11 cultivars was not significant. The number of pollen tubes in Ke 1053, Simian 4 and the male parent of Xiangzamian 3 was greater than those of other cultivars under the high simulation temperature. The number of deformed pollen grains in anthers was also less than those of other cultivars. These results were consistent with the field conditions. This experiment indicated that germination percentage of pollen grains and the rate of anther dehiscence are useful as indicators for screening high-temperature tolerance. The length ratio of filaments and styles and the filaments length could be used as parameters for screening high-temperature tolerance cultivars.     

New insights into genotypic thermodependency of cytoplasmic male sterility for hybrid barley breeding

The cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system msm1 in barley is known to be thermosensitive, sometimes resulting in spontaneous fertility restoration in the absence of the corresponding restorer gene Rfm1. Here, we investigated genotypic differences concerning temperature sensitivity and the plant developmental stage at which elevated temperature induces spontaneous fertility restoration in three CMS mother lines. While one line stayed completely male sterile, a significantly higher fertility was observed in two lines after treatment from growth stage DC 41 until maturation. Microscopic analysis revealed that sterile anthers contained neither intact pollen, nor remains of aborted pollen grains, whereas pollen was visible in anthers of potentially fertile plants. We conclude that the barley CMS system affects anther and pollen development prior to meiosis. Elevated temperature during heading and flowering can lead to a spontaneous fertility restoration by reactivating pollen growth. Nevertheless, genotypic variation exists enabling the selection for stable CMS mother lines and the development of F₁ hybrids with high hybridity. As spontaneous fertility restoration due to environmental effects is difficult to phenotype, further investigations will focus on the development of molecular markers for marker‐assisted selection.     

温敏核不育小麦可育和不育花药的细胞化学观察

温敏核不育小麦BNS可育花药发育中,脂类物质一直很少。在小孢子分裂前,花药中的淀粉粒也不多。小孢子分裂形成二胞花粉后,伴随着营养细胞中大液泡的消失和细胞质内含物的增加,细胞质中出现淀粉粒并持续增加。即将开花的成熟花粉中积累大量淀粉粒,是其营养物质积累特征。不育花药在小孢子分裂以前与可育花药相似,小孢子未显示结构差异。小孢子分裂形成二胞花粉后,不育花粉营养细胞中的大液泡不消失,细胞质内含物也不持续增加,淀粉粒的积累终止,最终导致其没有内含物的积累。这种淀粉代谢的异常与花粉败育有关。     

热分析法研究水稻花药发育过程及其动力学

植物花药发育是植物个体发育过程中的一个重要组成部分。在此过程中,花药物质和组成不断变化,呈现出显著的动态过程。关于花药发育过程中物质和组成变化的研究,人们已经做了很多工作。但未见用热分析法研究水稻花药发育过程及其动力学的报道。本文用热分析法研究了不同花粉育期野败型和红莲型两类水稻保持系可育花药的热分解过程,测定了花粉不同育期可育花药的热重/差热(TG/DTA)及其差示扫描量热(DSC)曲线,获得了相应的热力学参数,分析了它们在不同时期的热分解规律以及发育过程中花药物质变化与其不同育期的关系,建立了发育过程中水稻花药干物质增长的动力学模型,并计算了它们的表观动力学参数。     

光敏胞质不育小麦花药发育过程中ATP酶的定位研究

采用磷酸铅沉淀法(酶孵育离子为Mg2+)研究了不同日照条件下光敏胞质不育 小麦花药发育过程中ATPase分布的变化。 结果表明： 短日照条件下花粉可育, 单核早 期ATPase主要分布在花粉表面和细胞核中, 花粉外壁、 质膜及细胞质中有少量的ATPas e 分布; 随着花粉的发育, 其表面、 外壁、 内壁、 质膜及细胞质内ATPase进一步增     

Electron-microscopy on anther tissue and pollen of male sterile and fertile wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Summary 1. Anther tissue and pollen grains of cytoplasmic male sterile and fertile wheat were studied with the aid of an electron-microscope for differences in cytoplasmic structures.2. Clear and consistently occurring cytoplasmic differences were not observed, although unidentifiable particles were discovered in both the sterile and the fertile material.3. Male sterility finds expression in the small number of organelles in the sterile pollen grains which consequently are little or hardly physiologically active and thus subject to a rather rapid degeneration. On the contrary the fertile pollen grains are full of cell organelles and therefore well equipped for a complete development.4. The fertile pollen grain contains a clear intine which is thicker than the exine. Only a very thin intine was observed in the sterile material.5. Male sterility has no visible influence on exine formation. Ubisch bodies occur in the anthers of both male sterile and fertile plants. There is no sign of any contribution to exine formation on the part of the Ubisch bodies. There was more evidence of exine formation from within than from without. The normality of exine formation of sterile pollen grains need not indicate exine formation from without; it suggests rather that exine is largely formed before degeneration.     

湖北光周期敏感核不育水稻农垦58s花药中的某些生化代谢特点

湖北光周期敏感核不育水稻农垦58s单核早期的不育花药的线粒体呼吸速率和LOX活性分别较可育株低11.9％和5％,而单核晚期相应较可育株低18.4％和17.3％。花药发育从单核期至三核期,可育花药的AsA和GSH含量增高,而不育花药仅分别相当于可育株的35—55％和22—32％,并有脂质氢氧化物积累。随着花药发育,可育花药的AsA-POD,GR和6-GPDH活性逐有增高,至三核期达到最高。而不育花药,随花粉败育,在单核早期至三核期,AsA-POD,GR和6-GPDH活性逐渐降低,至三核期,其活性分别为可育株的26％,22％和19％,不育花药的ME和MDH活性亦较可育株低。IDH活性在单核晚期为可育株的47—80％。细胞还原势低是不育花药特征之一。低的还原势可能导致活性氧代谢失调和花药不育。     

The Distribution Features of Polysaccharides and Lipids in the Development of Tomato Anthers

The regulation of nutrient transportation and transformation in developing anthers is very complex. We analyzed the distribution and features of polysaccharides and lipids in the developing anthers of tomatoes using histochemical methods. Some starches appeared in the connective somatic tissue of anthers during the sporogenous cell stage. Before meiosis of the microspore mother cell,a thick polysaccharide callose wall was formed,accompanied by a reduction in the connective tissue starches. During the tetrad stage after meiosis,the polysaccharide material in the anther did not change. At the early microspore stage,the starches in the connective cells again increased,and polysaccharide material appeared in the partial intine of pollen. At the late microspore stage,a large vacuole formed that did not contain lipids or starches,and only the pollen wall contained red polysaccharides. At this stage,the connective somatic cell starch amounts decreased,and the tapetal cells changed shape and degenerated. After microspore division,abundant lipids appeared in the bicellular pollen,and starches accumulated following pollen development. As the anthers matured,many lipids and some starches accumulated in the epidermal cells. Nutrient metabolism within the tomato pollen characteristically accumulated lipids first and then starches,while the mature pollen accumulated starches and lipids simultaneously. This characteristic pattern of nutrient metabolism in tomato pollen shows species specificity among plants.     

Role of male-sterile cytoplasm in resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus and Fusarium head blight in barley

Two types of male‐sterile cytoplasm, designated msm1 and msm2, in barley were investigated to determine whether these cytoplasms confer resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (Ba YMV) and Fusarium head blight (FHB). Alloplasmic lines and isogenic lines of two cultivars showed the same reaction to each Ba YMV as that of their euplasmic lines. This demonstrates that the barley male‐sterile cytoplasms msm1 and msm2 have no effect on resistance to BaYMV. No significant difference in reactions to FHB was recognized among fertile alloplasmic lines of ‘Adorra’, but the difference in reactions to FHB between fertile and sterile isogenic lines of ‘Adorra’ was significant. The damage caused by FHB in the male‐sterile lines that produced sterile pollen was significantly greater than the damage in a sterile line that did not produce pollen. These results suggest that pollen or anthers are important factors in infection with or spread of FHB. For production of hybrid seeds, male‐sterile lines with no pollen production, such as those with msm1 male‐sterile cytoplasm, would reduce FHB infestation.     

Variation of chromosome numbers and essential oil components of plants derived from anther culture of the diploid and the tetraploid in Pelargonium roseum

Summary Anthers of the diploid (2n=77) and the colchi-tetraploid (2n=154) Pelargonium roseum were cultured in vitro. In both ploidy level anthers containing uninucleate or binucleate microspores were incubated on a modified White's medium. Calli formed were then subcultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium for organoid differentiation. Plants developed from organoids were transferred to filter paper bridges and after that transplanted into pots. Plants derived from anthers of the tetraploid had diploid chromosome number. Wide variation of their essential oil components suggested their genetic heterogeneity. Further, high correlations between different seasons in the rate of essential oil components showed that the wide variation was due to genetic differences. Therefore, these plants probably originated from pollen grains. On the other hand, plants derived from anthers of the diploid had diploid chromosome number. Small variation and low correlations between different seasons in essential oil components indicated their genetic homogeneity. Their origin was ascribable to the somatic tissues of the mother plant. It is concluded that in plant species in which usual sexual reproduction is difficult, anther culture of chromosome-doubled plants will give a useful method for obtaining genetic variation.