Influence of Temperature and Plant Water Status on Pollen Viability in Beans

Abstract

The effect of temperature, soil moisture, and diurnal variations in plant water content on pollen viability (PV) in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes was investigated under field conditions in 1981 and 1982. Each year PV, relative water content (RWC), and leaf water potential (LWP) of each cultivar at mean soil moisture tensions (MSMT) of −0.05 and −0.10 MPa were reduced significantly between 0700 hr and 1400 hr. At a MSMT of −0.05 MPa, PV and RWC of both cultivars significantly increased between 1400 hr and 1900 hr. During the same period, the LWP of ‘California Light Red Kidney’ increased to the 0700-hr level, but remained at the 1400-hr level in ‘Gloria’. At a MSMT of −0.10 MPa, PV significantly increased in ‘Gloria’ but failed to increase in ‘California Light Red Kidney’ between 1400 hr and 1900 hr. RWC remained at the 1400-hr level in both cultivars. LWP of ‘California Light Red Kidney’ remained at the 1400-hr level, but continued to decline below the 1400-hr level in ‘Gloria’ during the same period. PV declined as both RWC and LWP decreased. A relative value for the simultaneous contribution of both high ambient temperature and the water status of bean plants to loss of PV was calculated.

Heat Tolerance and Pod Set in Green Beans

“…Also, in the western U.S., where regular irrigation is practiced, adequate soil moisture is assured and reduces plant stress. Weaver (17) has indicated that water stress in beans can increase the negative effect of heat on pollen. However, we have observed (unpublished results) two lines grown 90 cm apart under fairly dry conditions, where one line produced 9000 kg-ha-1, while the susceptible line produced <500 kg-ha L Both lines flowered the same day and plants were the same size.…”

Pollen production, pollen viability and autofertility in faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) and their relationship with realized paternal success

“…It thus seems that the uncontrolled conditions in the field led to a certain decrease in relative pollen viability, an effect which F1 hybrids could compensate better than inbred lines. Drought or heat stress during pollen development can reduce pollen viability and pollen germination (Weaver and Timm 1988;Shivanna 1991;Djanaguiraman et al 2013;Jiang et al 2015;Bishop et al 2016;Bheemanahalli et al 2019). Besides environmental stress, pollen viability and germination can be affected by dehydration during storage (Shivanna and Heslop-Harrison 1981;Brunet et al 2019), by the method of pollen separation from the flower (Kron et al 2021) and by the method of viability assessment (Impe et al 2020).…”