The response of anther and pollen development, pollen cellular material release and pollen proteins to air pollution in Petunia hybrida Juss. (Solanaceae)

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the microsporogenesis, tapetum and pollen development in Petunia hybrida Juss.under control and air pollution condition. The connective shows a well-developed placentoid, giving thesporogenous tissue a crescent-shape. The sporogenous tissue of each of the four anther locules is surrounded bydimorphic tapetum. The outer (towards the epidermis) and inner (towards the connective) tapetal layers differ inshape, staining intensity and degree of vacuolization. During microsporogenesis and pollen maturation, thetapetum undergoes several changes and ultimately degenerates after pollen mitosis. The tapetum is the secretorytype. Microsporogenesis with simultaneous cytokinesis forms tetrahedral tetrads of microspores. Mature pollengrains are prolate, tricolporate/tricolporoidate with furrows disposed along the polar axis and three lowlydeveloped pores with striate-reticulate sculpture. Under air pollution, microsporogenesis was normal till tetradstage. After this stage, some tetrahedral tetrads were still present and some pollen grains were irregular shaped,shrunk and fragile. Some tapetal cells were smaller and the number of their nuclei was less compared to those ofthe control. Cellular material release was higher in polluted pollen. SDS-PAGE pattern in polluted pollen did notshow significant difference compared to the control.