Aim:

To study the pollen germination on a slide.

Material Required:

Hibiscus, Brassica or Pea flower, Slide, Coverslips, Microscope, Chemicals –

sucrose 10 g, boric acid 10 mg, potassium nitrate 10 mg, magnesium sulphate
20 mg, calcium nitrate 30 mg, 100 ml distilled water, Beaker and a dropper.

Procedure:

• Prepare a nutrient solution by dissolving sucrose, boric acid, magnesium

sulphate, calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate in 100 ml. of distilled water.

• Take a clean slide.

• Put a few drops of nutrient solution on the slide.

• Dust a few pollen grains from the stamen of a mature flower on it.

• Keep the slide undisturbed for some time.

• View the slide under the microscope after 5 minutes and then observe it
regularly for about half an hour.

Observation:

When the pollen grains get submerged in the nutrient medium, they germinate.

The tube cell enlarges and comes out of the pollen grain through one of the germ
pores to form a pollen tube.

The cell nucleus descends to the tip of the pollen tube. The generative cell also
passes into it. It soon divides into two male gametes.

Inference:

Different stages of germinating pollens are observed. Some pollens are in their
initial stage of germination while others have quite long pollen tube containing
tube nucleus and two male gametes.
Precautions:

• Flowers should be freshly plucked.

• Use clean slide to observe the pollen grains.

• The slides should not be disturbed, otherwise position of pollen grains will
get changed.

• Use only 2-3 drops of nutrient medium.

• The observation can be carried out on a depression slide that has a cavity at
the centre.

POLLEN GERMINATION