Notes on Studying Pollen Germination

1. Objective:

o Study pollen germination and observe pollen tube growth.

2. Materials Needed:

o Flowers: Pea, chickpea, Crotalaria, balsam, or Vinca.

o Glass slide.

o Sugar solution (~10%).

3. Procedure:

o Dust pollen grains on a drop of sugar solution placed on a glass slide.

o Allow the setup to rest for 15–30 minutes.

4. Observation:

o Examine under a low-power microscope.

o Look for pollen tubes emerging from pollen grains.

5. Outcome:

o Visual confirmation of pollen tube formation, demonstrating germination.

Outbreeding Devices

1. Problem of Inbreeding Depression:

o Self-pollination in hermaphrodite flowers leads to inbreeding depression.

2. Asynchronous Pollen Release and Stigma Receptivity:

o Mechanism: Pollen release and stigma receptivity do not occur simultaneously.

o Outcome: Prevents autogamy (self-pollination).

3. Spatial Separation of Anther and Stigma:

o Mechanism: Anther and stigma are positioned such that self-pollination is

impossible.

o Outcome: Prevents autogamy.

4. Self-Incompatibility:

o Definition: A genetic mechanism preventing self-pollen from germinating or growing

in the pistil.

o Outcome: Discourages self-pollination and promotes cross-pollination.

5. Unisexual Flowers:

o Monoecious Plants: Male and female flowers are on the same plant (e.g., castor,
maize).
  Outcome: Prevents autogamy but allows geitonogamy.

o Dioecious Plants: Male and female flowers are on different plants (e.g., papaya).

 Outcome: Prevents both autogamy and geitonogamy.

Notes on Pollen-Pistil Interaction

1. Definition:

o A dynamic process ensuring compatibility between pollen and pistil, crucial for
successful fertilization.

Key Concepts:

1. Pistil's Recognition Mechanism:

o Right Type (Compatible Pollen):

 Pistil accepts pollen and promotes fertilization events.

o Wrong Type (Incompatible Pollen):

 Pistil rejects pollen by preventing germination or pollen tube growth.

2. Recognition Process:

o Result of chemical interactions between pollen and pistil.

o Mediated by chemical components of both pollen and pistil.

3. Pollen Tube Formation and Growth:

o Pollen grain germinates on stigma, forming a pollen tube through a germ pore.

o Pollen tube grows through stigma and style tissues, reaching the ovary.

4. Male Gamete Delivery:

o Two-Celled Pollen Grains:

 Generative cell divides in pollen tube to form two male gametes.

o Three-Celled Pollen Grains:

 Two male gametes are already present and carried by the pollen tube.

5. Pollen Tube Guidance:

o Tube enters ovule through micropyle.

o Guided by the filiform apparatus in the synergids.

Events in Pollen-Pistil Interaction:

1. Pollen deposition on stigma.

 2. Pollen tube growth through style to ovary.

3. Entry of pollen tube into ovule via micropyle.

4. Delivery of male gametes to synergids.

Applications in Plant Breeding:

 Knowledge of pollen-pistil interaction can help manipulate incompatible pollinations to

produce desired hybrids.

Notes on Artificial Hybridisation

Definition:

 A crop improvement technique to cross different species or genera to produce commercially

superior varieties.

Key Techniques in Artificial Hybridisation

1. Emasculation:

o Definition: Removal of anthers from bisexual flowers before dehiscence to prevent

self-pollination.

o Method: Done using forceps.

2. Bagging:

o Definition: Covering emasculated flowers with a bag (usually made of butter paper)
to prevent contamination from unwanted pollen.

o Steps:

 Bagging is done after emasculation.

 The stigma is exposed when receptive and pollinated with desired pollen.

 Flowers are rebagged after pollination to allow fruit development.

3. Pollination Process for Bisexual Flowers:

o Emasculation → Bagging → Stigma Receptivity → Pollination → Rebagging.

4. Pollination Process for Unisexual Flowers:

o Emasculation Not Required:

 Female flower buds are bagged before opening.

 Desired pollen is applied when the stigma becomes receptive.

 Flowers are rebagged.

Purpose:

 Ensures only desired pollen grains are used, eliminating contamination.

 Produces hybrids with desirable traits.

Notes: Post-Fertilisation: Structures and Events

Endosperm Development

1. Endosperm Development Timing: Occurs before embryo development to ensure

nutrition.
2. Formation:
o Primary Endosperm Nucleus (PEN) undergoes divisions to form triploid
tissue.
o Common type: Free-nuclear endosperm (e.g., coconut water).
o Cellularisation follows free-nuclear stage (e.g., coconut kernel).
3. Fate of Endosperm:
o Consumed before seed maturation: e.g., pea, groundnut, beans.
o Persistent: e.g., castor, coconut; used during germination.

Embryo Development

1. Location: Develops at the micropylar end of the embryo sac.

2. Stages:
o Zygote → Proembryo → Globular → Heart-shaped → Mature embryo.
3. Dicot Embryo Structure:
o Two cotyledons, embryonal axis with:
 Epicotyl: Above cotyledons, ends in plumule.
 Hypocotyl: Below cotyledons, ends in radicle with root cap.
4. Monocot Embryo Structure:
o One cotyledon (scutellum).
o Embryonal axis has:
 Epicotyl: Contains shoot apex, enclosed by coleoptile.
 Radicle and root cap: Enclosed by coleorrhiza.

Seed Formation

1. Structure: Consists of seed coat, cotyledons, and embryonal axis.

2. Types:
o Non-albuminous seeds: No residual endosperm (e.g., pea, groundnut).
o Albuminous seeds: Retain endosperm (e.g., wheat, maize).
o Perisperm: Persistent nucellus remnants (e.g., black pepper, beet).
3. Seed Coat:
o Develops from ovule integuments.
o Micropyle facilitates water and oxygen entry during germination.
4. Maturation:
o Seed becomes dry (10-15% moisture).
o May enter dormancy or germinate if conditions are favorable.
Fruit Development

1. Transformation:
o Ovules → Seeds.
o Ovary → Fruit (pericarp forms fruit wall).
2. Types:
o True Fruits: Develop from ovary (e.g., mango, guava).
o False Fruits: Thalamus contributes (e.g., apple, strawberry).
3. Seed-Fruit Relationship: Number of ovules determines number of seeds.
4. Dispersal Mechanisms: Adaptations for spreading seeds.

Importance of Seeds

1. Agriculture:
o Crucial for food storage and crop raising.
o Dormancy aids in storage and survival.
2. Viability:
o Varies greatly; some last months, others hundreds of years (e.g., Lupinus
arcticus: 10,000 years).
3. Reproductive Capacity:
o Orchids and parasitic species like Orobanche produce thousands of seeds.
o Tiny seeds (e.g., Ficus) grow into massive trees producing billions of seeds.

Questions to Explore

1. Number of eggs per embryo sac, sacs per ovule, ovules per ovary, and flowers per
plant.
2. Examples of plants with large seed numbers and biomass production (e.g., Ficus,
orchids).