In vitro maturation and seed set of maize pollen

Immature male reproductive organs, spikelets and anthers, of four maize gen otypes were cultured under different conditions. Microsporogenesis and poll en maturation were observed in each sample. The in vitro matured pollen was capable of germinating in liquid medium as well as on receptive silks foll owed by ovule fertilization and seed set. The kernels germinated into norma l, genetically true plants. Besides the culture conditions the pollen quali ty was influenced by three major factors: genotype, the size and complexity of the inoculated sporophytic tissue and the developmental stage of the mi crospores. Our results will hopefully contribute both to the research into floral development and to the manipulation of the plant germline.