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THE EFFECTS OF SPORE AGE ON GERMINATION AND GAMETOPHYTE DEVELOPMENT IN POLYPODIUM VULGARE L.
Author(s) -
SMITH D. L.,
ROBINSON P. M.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1975.tb01344.x
Subject(s) - gametophyte , spore , germination , biology , fern , spore germination , botany , sporophyte , population , horticulture , pollen , demography , sociology
Summary In the fern Polypodium vulgare L. increasing spore age leads to a decline in spore viability. It is suggested that the sigmoidal form of the survival curve is related to the fact that the spores of the cytotype used in the investigation are probably triploid. The other effects of increasing age include an increasing delay in germination, a decrease in the rate of germination, and an increase in the proportion of abnormal gametophytes. To some extent these effects are alleviated by high population density and low light intensity. Evidence is presented that the effects of age may be partly attributable to the declining ability of the spores to synthesize metabolites essential for germination and gametophyte development.