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Pollen morphology and variability of <i>Tulipa hungarica</i> Borb
Abstract
Pollen morphology of the endemic species Tulipa hungarica Borb was investigated with the goal of diversity protection and conservation. Morphology of pollen was evaluated using a scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grain was monosulcate with perforate striate exine surface. Also, pollen of T. hungarica showed differences in size, shape, and staining intensity after aceto-orceine treatment. The smallest aceto-orcein treated microspore had a diameter of 13.65 μm, while the largest had a diameter of 60.15 μm. 4,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining showed that fifty percent of investigated microspores had one nucleus, and the other half had two nuclei. A rapid method with fluorescein diacetate – FDA was used to determine pollen viability. Up to (80%) of analyzed microspores showed high viability.
Key words: Microspore size, pollen grain, pollen viability, staining intensity, Tulipa.