CLASS: XII

A PROJECT REPORT ON

POLLEN VIABILITY

By-

PRITHVI KUMAR
CONTENT

1. Introduction
a. Pollen viability

b. Factors affecting pollen viability

2. Materials required

3. Procedure

a. Pollen structure
 b. Pollen viability

4. Observation

5. Conclusion

6. References

INTRODUCTION
Pollen grains or microspores are male reproductive bodies of seed bearing plants ,
they are produced in sac like structures called microsporangium.

The pollen grains are commonly globular in outline, though several other shapes are
also found. A pollen grain is single celled in the beginning but becomes 2-celled at
the time of its liberation. It has 2 layered wall. The outer wall is called exine and the
inner one is called intine, intine is plecto cellulosic in nature. Exine is made up of a
highly resistant fatty substance called sporopollenium. The exine provides a
characteristic sculpturing or design over the surface of the pollen grain. It helps in
identification of the species to which a pollen grain belongs. The branch of study of
pollen grains is called palynology.

The insect pollinated grains have a yellowish sticky and oily covering over the exine
called pollen kit. At certain places the exine is thin or absent. These areas are called
germ pores. A mature pollen grain has 2 cells, a large cell called vegetative cell or
tube cell and a small cell called generative cell. The vegetative cell produces pollen
tube, while the generative cell produces 2 male gametes after moving into the pollen
tube.

Pollen viability refers to the ability of a pollen grain to generate and produce male
gametes. Some pollen grain may not be viable either due to some abnormality or lack
of stored food in them. Pollen grains are microscopic structures that vary in size and
shape. Although too small to see individually, they can be seen by the naked eye in
large quantities.

An extremely durable body, it has a tough outer coating. This hard coat offers a great
protection from the outer harsh environment.

This is important because inside this tough shell lie two cells : the tube cell, which
will eventually become the pollen tube, and the generative cell, which contains the
male sperm nuclei required for fertilization. There are 3 main components of pollen
grain,. Inside of the grain is made up of cytoplasm. This fluid medium houses the
aforementioned living cells. Keeping them moist and alive , the outer shell is made
up of 2 layers. The inside layer is aptly named the intine, it is composed by partly of
cellulose, a common component in the cell walls of plant cells.
The tough ( as nails ) outer layer is called exine. This highly sophisticated and
complex outer layer is rich in a compound known as sporopollenin. Water proof,
resistant to deterioration and very stiff , this shell is basically one of nature’s most
advanced polymer. It ensures that the tender cells inside have a strong chance of
survival.

POLLEN VIABILITY

Pollen viability refers to the ability of the pollen to perform its function of
transferring male gametes to the embryo sac. This functional property of the pollen
after release from the anther varies greatly from species to species. Its quality is
assessed on the basis of its viability.Pollen viability varies between minutes and years
and which primarily depends on the taxonomic status of the plant on the abiotic
environmental conditions. Several reasons have been assigned for the loss of viability
like deficiency of respiratory substrate, Inability to with stand desiccation and the loss
of membrane integrity.

VARIATIONS IN VIABILITY OF POLLEN

The lifespan of pollen is primarily determined by the plant genome, But is also
influenced by external environmental conditions. Harrington ( 1970 ) on the basis of
pollen viability has classified the examined plant taxa into 3 main groups-

1. Long lived pollen grain ( 6 months to one year )

2. Pollen with medium life span (approximately 1 to 3 months )
3. Short lives pollen.

CAUSES FOR THE LOSS OF VIABILITY

It has been extremely difficult to access the exact reasons behind the loss of viability
among pollen grains within a span of short or long period. It is the deficiency of
respiratory substrates or inactivation of certain specific enzymes
or growth hormones that are likely to affect the viability of the Pollen. There are
variable reasons to explain such inactivity as stated below :

1. Biochemical alteration in pollen : the major biochemical cause for the loss of
viability during storage is basically due to the deficiency of respiratory metobolite
which is the result in continuous metobolic activity in the pollen. As a result of long
term storage, there are reports of considerable changes in the amount of
carbohydrates amino acids and organic acid level, in the pollen of different species. A
higher respiratory rate in the three celled pollen leads to the scarcity of respiratory
substrate that strongly contribute to their rapid loss of pollen viability,

2. Desiccation and loss of membrane of pollen : The regulation of pollen water

content is an important adaptive mechanism for survival after pollen dispersal and
accordingly pollen grains that remain viable after dehydration are called desiccation
tolerant and that lose viability parallel to dehydration are called desiccation sensitive.

FACTORS AFFECTING POLLEN VIABILITY

1. Cytology
2. Humidity and temperature

MATERIALS REQUIRED

Flowers of different plant species, cavities , slides, plain slide coverslips, microscope,
beakers, measuring cylinder, sucrose, Boric acid, magnesium sulfate, potassium
nitrate and reagent bottle.

PROCEDURE
Pollen structure

Take a clean slide and put a drop of glycerin on it. Dust a few pollen grains from the
anther of a flower in the glycerin drop. Place a cover slip and observe the slide under
low power of the microscope. Carefully observe the structure of the pollen grain and
draw its diagram. Similarly study the structure of pollen grains and draw its diagram.
Similarly study the structure of pollen grains of flowers belonging to various plant
species

Pollen viability

Prepare a nutrient solution by dissolving 10 g succrose ,10g boric acid, 10mg KNO3,
10mg MgSO4, in 100 ml distilled water. Stock this solution in a reagent bottle. This
solution acts as a nutrient source for the developing pollen grains. Take a few drops
of this on a clean cavity slide. Dust pollen grains from a mature anther of the flowers
over the solution. Observe the slide under dissecting or compound microscope after 5
minutes and them regularly after every minute.

Similarly perform experiment with different types of flowers and record the
germination of pollen grains
of each species.
 Sl. Name of the Time Number Number of Percentage
No. flower taken by of viable viability
non-viable
pollen pollen
pollen
grain to grains grains
germinate

1 CATHARANTHUS 5 56 4 93.3 %
ROSEUS

2 LILIUM 15 09 15 37.5 %
CANDIUM

3 HIBISCUS ROSA 30 01 3 25 %
SINENSIS

The pollen grain of different plant species show different types of sculpturing on the
exine. The pattern and distribution of germ pores is also variable in the pollen grains
of different types of flowers.

The rate of germination and viability of pollen grains of different species also differ
greatly

CONCLUSION

Viable pollen grains germinate in the pollen nutrient medium but the non-viable
pollen do not germinate. The percentage of viability vary in different flowers.

The viability percentage was greatest in- CATHARANTHUS ROSUEUS

The viability percentage was least in- HIBISCUS ROSA SINENSIS