Male gametophyte viability of waxy maize in conditions of low temperature --Kravchenko, OA, Kravchenko, AN The purpose of this study was to reveal the effect of low temperature on male gametophyte viability at the pollen germination stage and pollen tube growth stage. Inbred lines 346 and 502, and their waxy counterparts as well as their MR4 progeny (obtained from irradiated immature embryos in vitro), were taken as experimental material. Freshly collected pollen from each genotype was planted on the nutrient medium (developed by Cook, F.S., Walden, D.B., Can. J. Bot. 43:779-786) and subjected to low (+12 C) temperature treatment for 6 hours. At the same time pollen of control variants was cultivated in normal (+24 C) temperature conditions. On average, 500-700 pollen grains from each genotype were analyzed to determine pollen viability.

Generally, low temperature treatment resulted in decreasing of maize pollen viability. The reliable effect of genotype and temperature was revealed by two factor analysis of variance (Table 1). The results obtained indicated that pollen viability of MR4 progeny of inbred lines 346 and 502 was less genotype-dependent than that of their waxy counterparts. It should be noted that pollen viability of MR4 progeny of inbred line 502 was more temperature-dependent in comparison with MR4 progeny of other inbred lines. Thus, a significant variability of male gametophyte viability among plants of the MR4 generation was found.

Table 1. Genotype and temperature effect (%) on male gametophyte viability
 
  Factors:    
MR4 progeny of inbred lines: genotype temperature their interaction
346+/+ 74.61*** 13.32*** 11.53***
346wx1wx1 83.71*** 9.5*** 6.28***
502+/+ 51.49*** 39.72*** 8.21***
502wx1wx1 75.47*** 19.07*** 5.91***
***- P<0.001
 
 

Please Note: Notes submitted to the Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter may be cited only with consent of the authors.

Return to the MNL 75 On-Line Index
Return to the Maize Newsletter Index
Return to the MaizeGDB Homepage