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Effect of humidity on intergeneric pollinations of iap (Inhibition of Alien Pollen) sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

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Abstract

The production of interspecific or intergeneric progeny involving Sorghum spp. is greatly enhanced by the presence of the iap (Inhibition of Alien Pollen) allele in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Variation in the expressivity of the iap phenotype has been observed in previous studies, leading to the hypothesis that the humidity during pollination is affecting the degree of alien pollen adhesion and pollen tube growth. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum humidity for maximum maize pollen tube growth on sorghum florets homozygous for iap. Growth chambers were used to create environments of 45, 65, and 85 % humidity with reciprocal crosses made between the 65 and 85 % humidity chambers. Maize pollen was dusted onto the stigmas of Tx3361 (iap iap) and ATx623 (Iap Iap). Pollen adhesion and germination were higher for pollinations with Tx3361 at all humidity levels but the greatest adhesion and germination was observed at 45 % humidity for Tx3361. Under this humidity, pollen tube growth to the style and ovary was observed. The results indicate that lower humidity maximizes maize pollen adhesion and germination on the stigmas of Tx3361. Analysis of the differences in adhesion between Tx3361 and ATx623 indicate that Iap affects pollen adhesion at the stigma surface and may be controlling pollen–pistil incompatibility in interspecific crosses in sorghum.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. George Hodnett and Natalie Patterson for their insight and assistance with this research and Dr. David Stelly for the use of his microscope. Funding for this research was provided by Ceres, Inc. and Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, 2474 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2474, USA

    John R. Gill & William L. Rooney

  2. Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, 2133 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2133, USA

    Patricia E. Klein

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  1. John R. Gill
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  2. William L. Rooney
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  3. Patricia E. Klein
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Correspondence to John R. Gill.

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Gill, J.R., Rooney, W.L. & Klein, P.E. Effect of humidity on intergeneric pollinations of iap (Inhibition of Alien Pollen) sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Euphytica 198, 381–387 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-014-1113-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-014-1113-5

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