Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (6)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Iwano, M.
Right arrow Articles by Isogai, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Iwano, M.
Right arrow Articles by Isogai, A.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Iwano, M.
Right arrow Articles by Isogai, A.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Plant and Cell Physiology, 2004, Vol. 45, No. 1 40-47
© 2004 Oxford University Press

Calcium Crystals in the Anther of Petunia: the Existence and Biological Significance in the Pollination Process

Megumi Iwano1, Tetsuyuki Entani, Hiroshi Shiba, Seiji Takayama and Akira Isogai

Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0101 Japan

Using an X-ray microanalysis system fitted with variable-pressure scanning electron microscopy, we noted that many calcium crystals accumulated under the stomium in the anther of Petunia. When the anther was dehisced and pollen grains were released from the stomata, the calcium crystals adhered to pollen grains and moved to the stigma together with pollen grains. In contrast, an X-ray microanalysis of the stigma surface before pollination detected no calcium emission on the stigma surface. Furthermore, pollen germination and pollen tube growth in medium without Ca occurred as in complete medium. However, after the pollen grains had been washed with abundant germination medium without calcium, pollen germination in the medium without Ca was inhibited. These results show that the calcium crystals dissolved in the aqueous drop under the exudate on the stigma and supplied calcium ions for pollen germination. In addition, calcium crystals were produced not only in the anther of Petunia but also in Nicotiana, suggesting that calcium crystals supply pollen grains with the calcium ions required for pollen germination and serve to improve reproduction efficiency in Solanaceae.

1 Corresponding author: E-mail, m-iwano{at}bs.aist-nara.ac.jp; Fax, +81-743-72-5459.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ANN BOT (LOND)Home page
W. C. HRYCAN and A. R. DAVIS
Comparative Structure and Pollen Production of the Stamens and Pollinator-deceptive Staminodes of Commelina coelestis and C. dianthifolia (Commelinaceae)
Ann. Bot., June 1, 2005; 95(7): 1113 - 1130.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Plant Cell PhysiolHome page
Z.-l. Shang, L.-g. Ma, H.-l. Zhang, R.-r. He, X.-c. Wang, S.-j. Cui, and D.-y. Sun
Ca2+ Influx into Lily Pollen Grains Through a Hyperpolarization-activated Ca2+-permeable Channel Which Can be Regulated by Extracellular CaM
Plant Cell Physiol., April 1, 2005; 46(4): 598 - 608.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.