Summary
Eluates of stigmas of Brassica oleracea that were known to contain S locus-specific glycoproteins (SLSG) discriminated between self and cross pollen in vitro in three different media. Discrimination was equally evident in experiments that were the in vitro equivalents of reciprocal pollinations. In a TAPS-buffered medium, self eluates depressed pollen germination in a dose-dependent manner. TAPS medium allowed a bioassay of the effects of SLSG in eluates because it optimized germination in a way that eliminated the complicating features of the stimulatory substances in the eluates. Stigma eluates affected percentage pollen germination and optimum calcium concentrations in vitro whether or not SLSG were present in the eluates, but differently in different media, and depending on whether the eluates were cross or self with respect to the pollen tested. Thus, the effect of stigma eluates on the in vitro germination of pollen in Brassica depends on the balance of stimulatory versus inhibitory substances in the eluates.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Elleman CJ, Willson CE, Sarker RH, Dickinson HG (1988) Interaction between the pollen tube and stigmatic cell wall following pollination in Brassica oleracea. New Phytol 109:111–117
Ferrari TE, Wallace DH (1975) Germination of Brassica pollen and expression of incompatibility in vitro. Euphytica 24:757–765
Ferrari TE, Wallace DH (1976) Pollen protein synthesis and control of incompatibility in Brassica. Theor Appl Genet 48:243–249
Franklin-Tong VE, Lawrence MJ, Franklin FCH (1988) An in vitro assay for the stigmatic product of the self-incompatibility gene in Papaver rhoeas L.. New Phytol 110:109–118
Harris PJ, Weinhandl JA, Clarke AE (1989) Effect on in vitro pollen growth of an isolated style glycoprotein associated with self-incompatibility in Nicotiana alata. Plant Physiol 89:360–367
Hodgkin T, Lyon GD (1983) Detection of pollen germination inhibitors in Brassica oleracea tissue extracts. Ann Bot (London) 52:781–789
Nasrallah JB, Yu S-M, Nasrallah ME (1988) Self-incompatibility genes of Brassica oleracea: expression, isolation and structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 25:5551–5555
Nasrallah ME, Nasrallah JB (1986) Molecular biology of selfincompatibility in plants. Trends Genet 2:9–12
Roberts IN, Gaude TC, Harrod G, Dickinson HG (1983) Pollen-stigma interactions in Brassica oleracea: a new pollen germination medium and its use in elucidating the mechanism of self-incompatibility. Theor Appl Genet 65:231–238
Sharma N, Shivanna KR (1982) Effect of pistil extract on in vitro responses of compatible and incompatible pollen in Petunia hybrida. Vilm. Indian J Exp Biol 20:255–256
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, A., Paolillo, D.J. Towards an in vitro bioassay for the self-incompatibility response in Brassica oleracea . Sexual Plant Reprod 2, 277–280 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00195588
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00195588