Pollen viability testing in papaya (Carica papaya Linn.)

Date

6-1986

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major Course

Major in Horticulture

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Rene Rafael C. Espino

Co-adviser

Rey Pimentel

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine an effective method of measuring the viability of fresh papaya pollen. Germination tests using sucrose solution and sucrose-agar media were done. Staining agents such as benzidine and potassium iodide (I2KI) were also evaluated.

Fresh papaya pollen failed to germinate in sucrose solution but germinated successfully in sucrose-agar media over a fairly wide range of sucrose concentrations (0-20%). The response of the species tested, C. cauliflora, was better than the varieties. Ten (10) per cent sucrose with one per cent agar was used as the standard media for germination.

Staining was done effectively for both of the stains. I2KI gave a higher stainability than benzidine. Correlation between pollen staining percentage and germination percentage were found to be low and non-significant for 12KI in both varieties and for benzidine on 'Cavite Special'. Benzidine, however, showed a highly significant but negative correlation for the hybrid. Varietal differences were observed for all samples both in the germination tests and staining procedures.

Pollen grains appeared as yellow mass in the anther and when viewed under the microscope, were more or less spheroidal in shape and were finely reticulate. The exine layer were distinctly thin while its intine is thick. Size range is from 29.80 - 52.15 u categorized as medium-sized pollens.

On the whole, the study provides only a rough estimate of the viability of fresh pollen. Stainability provides an easier way of determining the viability of papaya pollen, it however, provides only a rough estimate of the potential germinability as compared with the germination test. To achieve maximum efficiency, these two methods has yet to be compared with the ability of papaya pollen to induce normal fruit and seed formation.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

Thesis

Document Type

Thesis

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