Schmidt, Hannelore Normalization of
male-sterile mutants using gibber-
ellic acid. [Submitted by R.
Hageman]
The change of environmental conditions
caused considerable variation in stamen
characteristics of pollen-sterile
mutants ms-15, ms-26, and ms-33
(comp.: following communication by V. Schmidt). Moderate field conditions as well
as cultivation in the greenhouse seemed to promote the formation of external
ovules.
Experiments using plant hormones have shown during recent years that sex
expression could be influenced in some species, including some selected male-
sterile mutants.
We attempted to normalize homozygous male-sterile plants of ms-15, me-26 and
me-33 with gibberellic acid (GA3).. The plants produced flowers with yellow
pubescent stamens which fused to form a staminal cone. The best results were
obtained with concentrations between 500-1000 ppm in the first method and between
125-500 ppm in the second method. By the first method, the solution was sprayed on
three-week-old shoots. For the second method, the plants were allowed to suck in
the solution over a piece of tissue cut out of the stem and dipped into a little
glass containing the solution.
The highest level of normalization of the anther development of one to two
inflorescences was observed five to seven weeks after the last treatment by the
spray method or two to three weeks after the end of the treatment by the suck
method and was maintained over a period of 10 to 14 days. The development of the
external ovules was not fully suppressed in all cases, but enough fertile pollen
grains could be harvested for selfing the phenotypically normalized stamenless
flowers. Often the normalized flowers were able to form fruits with seeds without
hand-pollination. The offspring were completely stamenless (comp.: Abstr. XII
Internat. Botan. Congr., Leningrad
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