Abstract: (12336 Views)
Viable pollen grains and eggs are necessary for processes of pollination,
fertilization, and embryo formation for seed production. Various staining techniques
were used to estimate pollen viability in herbicide treated plants. Effect of
metsulfuron-methyl (2-[in(4-methoxy-6-methyl-l,3,5-triazine-2-yl) amino] carbonyl]
amino] siilfonyl] benzoic acid) on pollen grain viability of dyers woad (Isatis tinctoria
h.) inflorescence was investigated. Pollen grains of these plants were treated with
3,5,8,12 g a.i./ha metsulfuron in mid-anthesis stages. The treated plants were
harvested in 1,3,5,7,9 and 12 day intervals after treatment and compared with control
plants. Aniline blue in lactophenol (acid) and acetocarmine in glycerin (basic) were
used for staining herbicide treated pollen grains. Full staining of dyers woad pollen
grains significantly declined as herbicide application rates increased. Postponing the
time of harvest through intervals of several days after treatment decreased the pollen
grain stainability, irrespective of herbicide rate. With similar staining trends among
pollen grains with the acidic and basic techniques, a significant difference in
stainahility rate of the pollen grains was observed, with lower staining rates with
aniline blue in lactophenol versus acetociirmine in glycerin. The rate of pollen grain
stainability of herbicide treated weeds gave an adequate estimation of viability and
fertility of pollen grains. As the percentage of pollen grain stainahility decreased, the
efficacy of metsulfuron increased and vice versa. Use of various acidic and basic stains
to estimate pollen viability can be an adequate procedure to determine the treated
herbicide efficacy.
Subject:
Weed Science Received: 2010/03/28 | Accepted: 2010/03/28 | Published: 2010/03/28