ISHS Acta Horticulturae 632: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Citrus and Other Subtropical and Tropical Fruit Crops: Issues, Advances and Opportunities
EVALUATION OF DATE PALM MALES USING POLLEN VIABILITY AND ULTRASTRUCTURE |
| Author: | M.A. Shaheen |
| Keywords: | Phoenix dactylifera L., exine pattern, pore frequency, pollen viability |
| Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to develop a method to identify highly potent male palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) for breeding purposes. Pollen grains from 61 males palm grown in the Central Region of Saudi Arabia were thus evaluated using viability and ultra structure measuring techniques. The amount of pollen grains produced per spathe varied greatly from one male to another, (0.02-82.92 gm/spathe). The viability testing showed that the pollen grains ranged from 44.6 to 100% using the acetocarmine method, whereas it ranged from 6.00 to 93.00% when using the germination method. These investigations showed that pollen grains from all the investigated date palm males were monad, elliptical-peroblate with one deep germinal furrow across the surface. In all the encountered types of pollen grains, the exine pattern was reticulate with irregular and semicircular shaped pores. The ultra structure investigations revealed that date palm males differed in their pores frequency, size and exine porosity of pollen grains. Hence, using viability coupled with ultrastructure could be a valid method in the evaluation of male potency in date palm. | |
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