Full Length Research Paper

Pollen characteristics and in vitro pollen germination of Cedrus libani A. Rich.

Belma Caliskan¹, Hatice Colgecen² and Sevil Pehlivan³

¹Forest Tree Seeds and Tree Breeding Research Directory, Ankara, Turkey.

²Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, 67100 İncivez, Zonguldak, Turkey.

³Gazi University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Ankara, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: haticecolgecen@gmail.com or colgecen@karaelmas.edu.tr.

Accepted 25 August, 2009

   Abstract

This study aims to determine the germination characteristics, pollen tube developments, effects of germination media and temperature and incubation durations of the pollens obtained from the four clones (11342, 11344, 11345 and 11351) of Cedrus libani A. Rich. (Lebanon Cedrus) obtained from clonal seed orchard (with national registration no: Eskisehir 117) between 2004 and 2006 as well as of those taken from clone no: 11351 in 2004. They were stored at 3°C for 13 months till they were investigated experimentally. MS medium was preferred for pollen germination for its relative superiority. Three-day incubation period at 33°C temperature, in dark was applied along with the MS medium. The highest germination rate in MS medium was achieved in clone no.11342 with 84.77% among the pollen samples of 2005. On the other hand the germination rate of the pollens taken from clone no: 11351 was determined as 49.95%.

Key words: Cedrus libani, pollen germination, pollen tube.