Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Volume LXII
Written by Mirela Irina CORDEA, Ioana Delia POP, Sonia BORS-OPRIŞA, Lucia MIHALESCU
Viability and germination capacity of pollen grains is very important in breeding programs which require a minimum 30% germination level for the success of artificial hybridization. This paper presents the pollen viability and germination capacity analyses performed in nine tulip cultivars that belong to six different groups and the correlation between these two determinations. The viability of the pollen grains registered higher values in eight, out of nine cultivars (ʻYokohamaʼ - 81.7%, ʻVeronique Sansonʼ - 93.9%, ʻTender Whisperʼ - 90.7%, ʻPaul Schererʼ - 86.0%, ʻDavenportʼ - 84.8%, ʻFancy Frillsʼ - 92.9%, ʻBlue Parrotʼ - 96.1%, ʻRed Riding Hoodʼ - 89.8%), while in the case of germination capacity only four cultivars (ʻRed Riding Hoodʼ - 35.9%, ʻBlue Parrotʼ - 81.1%, ʻDavenportʼ - 78.3% and ʻSalmon Impressionʼ - 27.7%) registered the necessary rate for the breeding programs. The lower germination percentage of pollen grains, in some cultivars, may be due to the duration of storage period of the pollen.
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