Open AccessThree-year-old Pecan Pollen Retains Fertility
Author(s) -
I.E. Yates,
Darrell Sparks
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of the american society for horticultural science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.408
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 2327-9788
pISSN - 0003-1062
DOI - 10.21273/jashs.115.3.359
Subject(s) - pollen , germination , biology , pollination , human fertilization , fruit set , botany , horticulture , pollen tube , fructification , agronomy
Stored pollen from pecan [ Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) C. Koch] was analyzed for in vitro germination, fertilization efficiency, final fruit set, and characteristics of mature fruits. We demonstrate pecan pollen can be stored for several years and set fruit. Pollen stored for 1, 2, and 3 years at -80C and 1 year at -196C retained the capacity for fertilization. Pollen stored at -196C was more viable than pollen stored at -80C, with no significant correlation between length of storage at -80C, as judged by fruit abortions during the second drop. Final fruit set was not affected by pollen storage conditions, except for pollen collected in a season of drought. Fruit set is a more reliable indicator of pollen viability than in vitro germination. With two minor exceptions, fruits produced with stored pollen were similar to those developing after pollination with fresh pollen.