TREATMENT OF MAIZE POLLEN TO REDUCE NUCLEASE ACTIVITY

Recently it has been reported that maize (Zea mays L.) pollen can be s tored up to several hours in a hypertonic aqueous medium at O degrees C without losing its germinability (Broglia and Brunori 1994). We foun d that both release and activity of pollen nucleases are diminished in a cold hypertonic aqueous medium. Nucleases can be washed off while p reserving germination ability and thus preserving the possibility of p assive uptake of exogeneous DNA into germinating pollen grains. Altern atively, active DNA transfer into non-germinating pollen grains in the storage medium itself may be facilitated, due to the very reduced nuc lease activity in this medium.