Lubos,
We have always used Dickinson's medium for pollen germination and
gotten good results from a wide range of plants; although, we have never
tried asters. Interestingly, the borate is necessary, but I don't think
that anyone knows exactly why. Borate has been shown to form esters in the
pectic portion of the cell wall, but I don't know if that's why it is
needed in pollen germination. Does anyone else out there know?
Dickinson's Medium for pollen germination.
0.16 mM H3BO3 (Boric acid)
1.27 mM Ca(NO3)2 (Calcium Nitrate)
1.0 mM KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate)
1.0 mM Succinic acid (pH buffer)
10% Sucrose
pH 5.5 with KOH
Media can be used as a liquid or a solid through the addition of 1% agar.
Happy germinating,
Mark
At 04:47 AM 2/16/2007, Lubos Majesky wrote:
>Hello,
>I would like to ask for help in search for an appropriate medium for in
>vitro pollen germination of the members of Asteraceae family. I need
>germinated pollen grains for my study but a I cannot find a good medium in
>which the grains of Taraxacum would germinate. I know that there is a
>problem with germination of Asteraceae pollen (don´t want to germinate in
>common medium). If somebody could give me an advice or recommend a
>suitable medium I wolud be thankful.
>> Lubos Majesky
>>>Department of Botany
>Faculty of Science
>P. J. Safarik University
>Manesova 23
>04154 Kosice
>SLOVAKIA
>>_______________________________________________
>Plant-ed mailing list
>Plant-ed from net.bio.net>http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/plant-ed
Mark D. Spiro
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA 17837
spiro from bucknell.edu
phone: 570-577-3486
