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Effect of Chemicals and pH on in Vitro Germination of Date Palm Pollen

Ali A. Al-Helal, Arab Gulf J. Scient. Res., Agric. Biol. Sci., B7(1), pp. 103-111 (1989).

Boron was not essential for germination of date palm ( phonex dactyliera L.) pollen (80% +- 4 hours of incubation in medium lacking boron), but was necessary for normal groth of pollen tubes since 76% of germinated pollen grains had burst tubes and the remaining had short tubes (7.5+- 4 µm)

Calcium was essential for pollen germination and only 2% +- 1 of pollen germinated after 4 hurs in medium lacking calcium. Magnesium or polyamines (spermine diphosphate, spermidine phosphate or purtrescine chloride ) improved the germination in absence of calcium, but the rate of pollen tube elongation was lower than that obtained for calcium.

The pH optimum for germination and tube growth was 5.5 and the pH of the medium did not change after 3h of incubation.

Sucrose was not important for germination and pollen tube growth.