Journal of Experimental Botany The involvement of ethylene in in vitro maturation of mid-binucleate pollen of Nicotiana tabacum

The role of ethylene during in vitro maturation of Nicotiana tabacum pollen from the mid-binucleate (MB) stage was analysed by the addition of aminooxyacetic acid (AOA), aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), CoCI2 and AgN03 to the maturation medium (AMGLu). An increase in ethylene production was obtained in both isolated pollen and pollen surrounded by sporophytic tissue during In situ maturation. In vitro maturation of pollen was inhibited by AOA and AVG; ACC and ethrel were able to overcome this inhibitory effect. Cyclohex-ylamine (CHA) reverted the inhibition provoked by both Ag+ and Co 2 +. The results reported in this paper indi-cate that ethylene is one of the factors implicated in in vitro maturation of MB pollen of Nicotiana tabacum