Palynological features and pollen germination potential in Hyacinthus orientalis L.

Abstract

Palynology is a field of research on pollen and plant spores.Pollen research provides phylogenetic evidence in plant systematics. In this study are reported the main palynological features of a genotype known in the culture of ornamental plants, namely Hyacinthus orientalis.Respective palynological determinations concerned: shape, color of pollen grains, ornamentation of exine, size of pollen grains, number of germination pores/pollen grain. In connection with these determinations, the germination potential was tested on nutrient mediums with different carbohydrate compositions. In this regard, the effects of sucrose and glucose in different concentrations on pollen germination rates were investigated. Hyacinthus orientalis pollen has been shown to prefer 15% sucrose, when percentage of germinated grains was 95%, a percentage that is maintained for the next 96 hours. Glucose were suboptimal for pollen of this genotype. The results of this experiment provide useful information in taxonomy of genus Hyacinthus and in ornamental plant breeding.