Pollen viability of Hordeum spp genotypes with different flowering characteristics.
- Publication Type
- Journal contribution
- Authors
- Parzies, H.K., F. Schnaithmann, and H.H. Geiger
- Year of publication
- 2005
- Published in
- Euphytica
- Band/Volume
- 145/3
- Page (from - to)
- 229-235
In connection with crop improvement strategies for marginal regions it has been proposed to increase the outcrossing rate in barley which would presuppose high and persistent pollen viability to ensure successful cross fertilisation. The present study was designed to investigate the viability of mature pollen from extruded and non-extruded anthers of cultivated and wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp vulgare and ssp spontaneum, respectively) in comparison with the closely related but obligatory outcrossing species H. bulbosum. Pollen viability (PV) was assessed employing the p phenylenediamine-peroxidase-test at 20°, 30° and 40° C for 0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 hours. The latter treatment was interrupted after 8 hours by a 10 hour period of darkness at 12° C. Initial PV was high with 98% across all genotypes and even at 40° C did not fall below 80 % after 8 hours. After 26 hours, PV of two H. vulgare genotypes originating from semi-arid regions and of H. bulbosum fell below 60 % while the other genotypes retained a PV of > 80 %. Viability of pollen of extruded anthers in H. vulgare ssp. spontaneum was on average slightly but significantly lower than PV of non-extruded anthers but still remained above 90 %, even after 26 hours at 40° C. Pollen viability of the outcrossing species H. bulbosum ranged on a very similar level as PV of H. vulgare. Results indicate that pollen of H. vulgare retains a sufficiently high level of viability to ensure successful cross-fertilisation over a period of at least 26 hours even at high temperatures of up to 40° C.