Pollen production in hexaploid triticale

Summary Comparative studies were made of the pollen characteristics of triticale, wheat, and rye. Measurements were made of the anther length, width, and percent extrusion; pollen viability; size and number of pollen grains per anther; and dispersal on 10-mm² slide area pollen traps. Triticale anthers were intermediate in length between and significantly different from both wheat and rye. Rye pollen grains per anther were four and two times greater in number than those of wheat and triticale, respectively. Pollen viability was not significantly different between species. Rye pollen grains were smaller than those of wheat and of some triticale cultivars. Simple correlations between anther length and anther width, pollen grains per anther, pollen grain trapped per 10 mm² slide area, and plant height were significantly positive.