Abstract
The effects of short-term storage under room conditions (constant 25°C and 35% relative humidity), refrigeration (4°C) and freezing (- 20°C) on the germinability of pollen of pistachio, Pistacia vera L., were studied and the effects of desiccation and pollen age on its germinability were reassessed. It was found that: (1) weight loss as a result of desiccation was positively correlated with germinability; (2) pollen grains stored in room conditions only germinated after prehydration, which restored germinability even after 7 days of exposure; (3) refrigerated (4°C) pollen grains retained their germinability for at least a week; (4) frozen pollen grains irreversibly lost most of their germinability; (5) 2-day-old pollen grains, within the anthers, retained their germinability under room conditions. These findings will contribute to the improvement of pistachio pollen preservation and help to find a simple and inexpensive method for its short-term storage, while retaining its germinability.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 347-350 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Plant Breeding |
Volume | 119 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2000 |
Keywords
- Artificial pollination
- Desiccation
- Pistacia vera
- Pollen treatment
- Prehydration
- Short-term storage