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Abstract Detail



Reproductive Processes

Fairchild, Laurence [1], Pretz, Chelsea [2], Smith, Stacey [3].

Comparing in vitro Pollen Tube Growth Between Physalis Species.

Pollen tubes growth is imperative to the successful production of offspring. While we know that the style tissue is complex with the varying nutrients needed for the germination of pollen tubes, this study aims to understand the optimal micro-nutrients needed for this development. I have investigated the factors of pollen tube growth in vitro in two species from the tomatillo genus, Physalis. P. hederifolia and P. philadelphica. To determine the ideal nutrients needed for pollen tube growth I conducted an experiment that used three different micronutrients (sucrose, boric acid, and calcium nitrate), in varying concentrations and combinations. Water was used as the control treatment as it almost always resulted in 0% germination. Treatments with individual micronutrients or combination of micronutrients were carried out with a single anther with 3 replicates per species. A compound microscope was used to analyze the pollen tube growth and an average was determined for each treatment after counting 100 pollen grains. I used ANOVAs to test for the effect of treatments in promoting pollen germination for each species. I found significant effects of treatments in both cases (p=0.002 and 0.0002 respectively). P. hederifolia was most successful in the 8% sucrose solution with an average of 30% germination while P. philadelphica was the most successful in the 30% sucrose with an average germination of 33%. P. hederifolia was positively affected by the 0.1uM calcium nitrate solution with an average germination of 8.3% and also by boric acid with an average germination of 9.6% in the 1uM solution. P. philadelphica was not significantly affected by any of the calcium nitrate or boric acid solutions with averages of between 0-1%. Overall, sucrose alone was optimal for promoting pollen germination for both species; the combination of calcium nitrate and boric acid with each of the most successful sucrose solutions did not yield higher germination rates than with sucrose alone.


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1 - University of Colorado Bouler, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 1900 Pleasant St, C127, Bouler, CO, 80302, USA
2 - University of Colorado-Boulder, 1900 Pleasant St, Boulder, CO, 80302, United States
3 - University Of Colorado-Boulder, EBIO Department, Campus Box 0334, Boulder, CO, 80309, United States

Keywords:
Solanaceae
Pollen germination
development
Physalis.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Reproductive Processes Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PRP011
Abstract ID:852
Candidate for Awards:None


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