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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 54(6)

Pollen viability in Kunzea pomifera (Myrtaceae) as influenced by sucrose concentration and storage

T. Page A C , G. M. Moore A , J. Will A and G. M. Halloran B
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A Burnley College, The University of Melbourne, Richmond, Vic. 3121, Australia.

B Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Present address: Agroforestry and Novel Crops Unit, School of Tropical Biology,
James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia. Email: tony.page@jcu.edu.au

Australian Journal of Botany 54(6) 553-558 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT04054
Submitted: 19 April 2004  Accepted: 14 February 2006   Published: 15 September 2006

Abstract

In vitro germination of freshly collected pollen was examined for five genotypes of Kunzea pomifera in liquid media with 5% and 10% sucrose. There were no significant differences in germination level between the different sucrose concentrations for each of the genotypes. Pollen-germination levels were significantly different among genotypes, ranging from 7 to 89%. Pollen of one genotype, stored for 12 months at 4°C and 10% relative humidity, was evaluated for germination at intervals over this period, and while significant differences in the levels of pollen germination after different storage periods were found, there was no correlation between germination percentage and storage time. Pollen of the K. pomifera accession Kmt1 stored under such conditions for 370 days was used in controlled pollination with accession Kmt2, resulting in 3.4 seeds per fruit, which was significantly fewer than the 17.2 seeds per fruit when using fresh pollen.


Acknowledgments

We are most grateful to A. Campbell and N. Osborne for nursery support; T. Huynh and staff at Microscopy and Microanalysis Laboratory (RMIT University) for assistance with electron microscopy; I. Gordon and P. Ades for statistical support; and A. Rawal, C. Zuidervaart and A. Sosnin for technical assistance. N. Bonney is thanked for donation of plant selection Ba. This research was supported by Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), RWS Nicholas Agricultural Science and Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship to T. Page.


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