Abstract
Intact maize (Zea mays L.) ovaries were excised from unpollinated ears (pistillate inflorescences of field-grown plants and placed on defined, agar-based media in Petri dishes. Application of pollen to the end of silks (styles) positioned outside the Petri dish resulted in fertilization of 46% of the ovaries. The extent of subsequent kernel (caryopsis) development varied. After 40 days some kernels had only embryo development while others had embryo and variable endosperm development. About 5% of the initial ovaries developed into normal kernels; 60% of the kernels with some endosperm germinated under laboratory conditions, and 70% of the embryos excised from the embryo-only kernels germinated on culture media.
References
Gengenbach, B.G., Green, C.E.: Selection of T cytoplasm maize callus cultures resistant to Helminthosporium maydis race T pathotoxin. Crop Sci. 15, 645–649 (1975)
Hess, D., Wagner, G.: Induction of haploid parthenogenesis in Mimulus luteus by in vitro pollination with foreign pollen. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 72, 466–468 (1974)
Kanta, K., Maheshwari, P.: Test-tube fertilization in some angiosperms. Phytomorphology 13, 230–237 (1963)
Kanta, K., Rangaswamy, N.S., Maheshwari, P.: Test-tube fertilization in a flowering plant. Nature 194, 1214–1217 (1962)
Linsmaier, E.M., Skoog, F.: Organic growth factor requirements for tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant. 18, 100–127 (1965)
Rangaswamy, N.S., Shivanna K.R.: Induction of gamete compatibility and seed formation in axenic cultures of a diploid self-incompatible species of Petunia. Nature 216, 937–939 (1967)
Rangaswamy, N.S., Shivanna, K.R.: Test-tube fertilization in Dicranostigma franchetianum (Prain) Fedde. Curr. Sci. 38, 257–259 (1969)
Shivanna, K.R.: In vitro fertilization and seed formation in Petunia violacea Lindl. Phytomorphology 15, 183–185 (1965)
Zenkteler, M.: Test-tube fertilization in Dianthus caryophyllus Linn. Naturwissenschaften 52, 645–646 (1965)
Zenkteler, M.: Test-tube fertilization of ovules in Melandrium album Mill. with pollen grains of several species of the Caryophyllaceae family. Experientia 23, 775–776 (1967)
Zubkova, M., Sladky, Z.: The possibility of obtaining seeds following placental pollination in vitro. Biol. Plant. 17, 276–280 (1975)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution from the Department of Agromy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. Paper no. 9641 scientific journal series, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gengenbach, B.G. Development of maize caryopses resulting from in-vitro pollination. Planta 134, 91–93 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390100
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390100