Determining the morphological characteristics of the pollen grains of some selected date palm stands (Phoenix Dactylifera L.) and determining their vitality and germination capacity

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Deir Al-Hajar Research Station in the General Authority for Scientific Agricultural Research during the 2023 season and aimed to determine the morphological characteristics of the pollen grains of some selected date palm stallions and determine their vitality using several dyes and their germination capacity.

Results showed that the grain pollens of the studied stallions varied in morphological characteristics, as the size of the grain pollens ranged between

small (for the stallion F36) and medium (for the stallions F18 and F21), and the shape of the studied grain pollens ranged between elongated (for the stallions F21 and F36) and very elongated (for the stallion F18). F18 pollen grains are the longest (32.103 microns) and the widest (2.24 microns).

The dyes used (acetocarmin, potassium iodide, tetrazolium) in studying the vitality of pollen grains were highly effective in estimating vitality, without any significant differences between them. The pollen grains of the studied stallions showed a high ability to germinate, and the length of the pollen tubes ranged between 137.32 - 318.9 microns for stallion F36 and stallion F21, respectively.

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