Observing Pollen Tubes Within the Styles of<i>Zea Mays L.</i>

Adams, Jack D.; Mackay, Elizabeth L.

doi:10.3109/10520295309105558

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Pollen tube growth in maize has been well studied (Adams and Mackay 1953;Kiesselbach 1980;Heslop-Harrison et al 1985;Styles 1987;Kliwer and Dresselhaus 2010;Lausser et al 2010). Germination of pollen grains and the growth of pollen tubes of Balsas teosinte are generally similar to those of maize.…”

Section: Pollen Tube Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female gametophyte development and double fertilization in Balsas teosinte, Zea mays subsp. parviglumis (Poaceae)

Diggle

Friedman

2011

Sex Plant Reprod

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Over the course of maize evolution, domestication played a major role in the structural transition of the vegetative and reproductive characteristics that distinguish it from its closest wild relative, Zea mays subsp. parviglumis (Balsas teosinte). Little is known, however, about impacts of the domestication process on the cellular features of the female gametophyte and the subsequent reproductive events after fertilization, even though they are essential components of plant sexual reproduction. In this study, we investigated the developmental and cellular features of the Balsas teosinte female gametophyte and early developing seed in order to unravel the key structural and evolutionary transitions of the reproductive process associated with the domestication of the ancestor of maize. Our results show that the female gametophyte of Balsas teosinte is a variation of the Polygonum type with proliferative antipodal cells and is similar to that of maize. The fertilization process of Balsas teosinte also is basically similar to domesticated maize. In contrast to maize, many events associated with the development of the embryo and endosperm appear to be initiated earlier in Balsas teosinte. Our study suggests that the pattern of female gametophyte development with antipodal proliferation is common among species and subspecies of Zea and evolved before maize domestication. In addition, we propose that the relatively longer duration of the free nuclear endosperm phase in maize is correlated with the development of a larger fruit (kernel or caryopsis) and with a bigger endosperm compared with Balsas teosinte.

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Section: Pollen Tube Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%