IN-VITRO GERMINATION AND VIABILITY OF BUCKWHEAT (FAGOPYRUM-ESCULENTUMMOENCH) POLLEN

An in vitro method for the germination of common buckwheat pollen was developed. Pollen grains were successfully germinated in an artificial medium consisting of 0.2 g each of MnSO4, Ca(NO3)2.4H(2)O and KNO3, 0 .04 g H3BO3, 15 g sucrose and 30 g polyethylene glycol (molecular weig ht approximately 20,000) dissolved in 100 ml of double distilled water . The viability of pollen was assessed by in vivo and in vitro germina tion tests at 20 degrees C and 25 degrees C over a 38 h time period. P ollen grains were collected and germinated at 4 h intervals from fresh ly harvested flowers grown under 16 h day length and a constant temper ature. Maximum pollen viability was found 2 h and 6 h after first ligh t when plants were maintained at 25 degrees C and 20 degrees C, respec tively. Viability, as measured by germination percentage, was similar at both temperature regimes. Some pollen remained viable for approxima tely 34 to 38 h in intact flowers, but all pollen lost viability in le ss than an hour when stored at room temperature without humidity contr ol.