Experiment 1 Pollen Germination

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E E X P

ERIMA Study of Pollen


1 Germination

INTRODUCTION
1. Pollengrain or microspore is the first cell of male gametophyte.
2. The development of male gametophyte is
precocious, i.e., it begins inside the micro- sporangium
or pollen sac.

The pollen grain is uninucleate in the beginning but at the time of liberation it becomes
2 celled-a small generative cell and a large tube or vegetative cell.
4 On the stigma, the pollen grain absorbs water and nutrients from the stigmatic secretion
through its germ pores.
5. The tube cell gives rise to a pollen tube. The generative cell also descends into the pollen tube
and divides into two male gametes.

EXPERIMENT 1.1

AIM: To study the pollen germination on a slide.

REQUIREMENTS
Fresh seasonal flowers, slide, coverslip, microscope, sucrose, boric acid, magnesium sulphate,
potassium nitrate, beakers etc.

PROCEDURE
1. Prepare a nutrient solution by dissolving 10 g sucrose, 10 g boric acid, 30 mg magnesium
sulphate and 20 mg potassium nitrate in 100 ml of water.
2. Take a few drops of this solution on a clean slide, and dust a few pollen grains from the stamen
of a mature flower on it.
3. Observe the slide in the microscope after 5 minutes and then observe it regularly for about half

an hour.

OBSERVATION
In nutrient medium, the pollen grain germinates. The tube cell enlarges and comes out of the
of8 r a i n through one of the germ pores to form a pollen tube. The tube nucleus descends to the tip
ne pollen tube. The generative cell also passes into it. It soon divides into two male gametes. Each
male
gamete is lentiicular to spherical in outline.
22 Comprehensiue Laboratory Manualal in Biolnn.
Biology-X
Exine
Intine
Germ
pores

Pollen-
tube

Tube nucleus-
Male gametes-

Fig. 1.1. Germination of pollen grains.

PRECAUTIONS
1.
1. Flowers should be freshly plucked.
2 Use clean slide to observe the pollen grains.

VIVA VOCE
Q.1. What is the shape of a pollen grain?
Ans. It is commonly globular in outline, though several other shapes are also found.
Q.2. Whatis palynology?
Ans. The study of pollen grains is called palynology.

Q.3. What is the composition of wall of pollen grain ?


Ans. It is made up of two layers, outer exine and inner intine.
Q.4. What is the chemical nature of the two layers of the wall ofpollen grain?
Ans. Intine is pecto-cellulosic in nature and exine is made of highly resistant fatty substance
called sporopollenin.

Q.5. What is tectum?


Ans. It is the discontinuous surface layer of the exine of the pollen grain wall, which provides
characteristic sculpturing or designs over the surface of pollen grain.

6. What is the taxonomist ?


Q. importance of tectum to a
Ans. It can help a taxonomist to identify the pollen grains and refer them to their family, genus or

species.

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