TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancement of pollen germination by promotive factors in incompatible pollen
AU - Eisikowitch, Dan
AU - Wetzstein, Hazel Y.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Cultivated and wild almonds are self-incompatible and thus require outcrossing by insect pollinators to produce viable seed. In commercial production, considerable efforts are directed towards placement and selection of cultivars for cross-pollination. However, since honeybees do not distinguish between the different cultivars, stigmas are usually covered by a mixture of both compatible and incompatible pollen. Using in vitro assays, we demonstrated that pollen extracts promoted germination in self pollen with no inhibitory effects observed. Elemental analyses of pollen extracts showed that enhanced levels of Ca, Mg, K, Na, and P were eluted from the grains. From this, we raise the question of possible interaction between compatible and incompatible pollen, and speculate that incompatible pollen grains may support and enhance germination of adjacent compatible pollen.
AB - Cultivated and wild almonds are self-incompatible and thus require outcrossing by insect pollinators to produce viable seed. In commercial production, considerable efforts are directed towards placement and selection of cultivars for cross-pollination. However, since honeybees do not distinguish between the different cultivars, stigmas are usually covered by a mixture of both compatible and incompatible pollen. Using in vitro assays, we demonstrated that pollen extracts promoted germination in self pollen with no inhibitory effects observed. Elemental analyses of pollen extracts showed that enhanced levels of Ca, Mg, K, Na, and P were eluted from the grains. From this, we raise the question of possible interaction between compatible and incompatible pollen, and speculate that incompatible pollen grains may support and enhance germination of adjacent compatible pollen.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032724124&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07929978.1999.10676769
DO - 10.1080/07929978.1999.10676769
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AN - SCOPUS:0032724124
SN - 0792-9978
VL - 47
SP - 165
EP - 168
JO - Israel Journal of Plant Sciences
JF - Israel Journal of Plant Sciences
IS - 3
ER -