Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
J. Anim. Plant Sci. [ISSN 2071 - 7024]
Volume 14(1): 1855 -1865. Published May 31, 2012.
Determination of the optimum pollen germination medium for different fruit forms of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis).
K. A. Myint1, 2, M.Y. Rafii1, 3, S.A Sheikh-Abdullah1, N. M. Lwin2 A. Mohd Din4 and M. A. Latif1
1Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
2Myanmar Perennial Crops Enterprise, Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation, Myanmar
3Institute of Tropical Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
4 Malaysian Palm Oil Board, P.O. Box 10620, 50720, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*Corresponding address: Dr. M.Y.Rafii, Institute of Tropical Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. , Email: mrafii@putra.upm.edu.my, Tel: +60389474825
Key words: pollen viability; in vitro germination; oil palm; germination media; sucrose solid medium
SUMMARY
The study was conducted to determine the optimum medium for in vitro pollen germination in African oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. based on germination percentages and length of pollen tube. The viability of pollens from three fruit forms of 20-year old dura, pisifera, and tenera palms was investigated at 60,120 and 180 min after incubation at 35°C using three kinds of medium: 11% of sucrose solid media, 11% of glucose solid media and 2.5 % of sucrose liquid media with 0.1% of boric acid. The longest mean pollen tube length was observed in dura pollen on all three mediaat 60, 120, and 180 min after incubation. The pollens germinated on sucrose solid medium had longer tube length than those germinated on glucose and sucrose liquid media. Adoption of sucrose solid medium as germination medium for the estimation of germinability and tube length of pollen in oil palm is suggested.
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