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The author offers an overview of pollen biology and biotechnology for students and researchers in areas such as reproductive biology, biotechnology, aeropalynology, plant breeding, horticulture, and forestry. Citing more than 1,500 references to pollen research, the text covers topics including advances in understanding pollen tube growth, the use
Pollen transmits the male genetic material in sexual reproduction of all higher plants. This same pollen is also well suited as a research tool for studying many patterns of plant and animal metabolism. In addition, an increased knowledge of pollen may help plant breeders accelerate efforts to improve the world's food and fiber supply. This volume focuses upon pollen biology and chemistry; it attempts to inte grate these facts with management practices involved in pollen applications. People have long been involved with pollen. Pollen applications are recorded in the rites of ancient civilizations (see Frontispiece). From the earliest times many benefits have been attributed to the inclusion of pollen in man's diet; also, since the mid-19th century air-borne pollen has been recognized as detrimental to many people's health. Disciplines concerned with man's cultural history and the earth's changing ecology find pollen a particularly useful and accessible tool. Identifiable parts of pollen have survived over 100 million years. But most books dealing with pollen are generally concerned with the identification of the plant source, an aspect of the science of palynology; other books emphasize the natural vectors transmit ting pollen, the pollination mechanisms. Very few works include the biochem istry or biology of pollen. Yet extensive studies by physicians, as well as plant breeders and apiculturists, have contributed a sizeable body of research relating to pollen.
Pollen grains are everywhere - in the air, in the water, in soil and in the food we eat. Pollen has direct relevance in agriculture, horticulture, plant breeding, crop improvement and biotechnology. They are further of use for montioring cytotoxic effects - by herbicides, pesticides and pollutants - testing for allergic reactions, and for basic studies on gene expression, research on differentiation and polarity. Detailed instructions of the standard techniques, which have all been tested and improvised by the authors, are given, such as collection and storage of pollen, pollen culture, germination, tests for viability, incompatibility and isolation of protoplasts. Introduced by an explanation of the principles involved, the step-by step protocols are complemented by personal notes and precautions, specifying the reagents used and various appendices on basic and specific requirements for laboratory exercises on pollen.
Pollination Biology reviews the state of knowledge in the field of pollination biology. The book begins by tracing the historical trends in pollination research and the development of the two styles of pollination biology. This is followed by separate chapters on the evolution of the angiosperms; the evolution of plant-breeding systems; the geographical correlations between breeding habit, climate, and mode of pollen transfer; and sexual selection in plants. Subsequent chapters examine the process of sexual selection through gametic competition in Geranium maculatum; the effects of different gene movement patterns on plant population structure; the foraging behavior of pollinators; adaptive nature of floral traits; and competitive interactions among flowering plants for pollinators. The book is designed to provide useful material for advanced undergraduate and graduate students wishing to familiarize themselves with modern pollination biology and also to provide new insights into specific problems for those already engaged in pollination research. The book is intended to be used for both teaching and research.
Pollen, the plant structure most widely used by humans, is a key structure in plant reproduction giving rise to fruits and seeds. Moreover, the biotechnological use of pollen is of great importance for plant breeders since it allows to obtain varieties with better utilization and yield. In the first part, the successive steps of pollen development in the anther from floral induction to pollen germination and fertilization are thoroughly examined; the second part is devoted to pollen behaviour in vitro.
In Recognition of the Forgotten Generation D. L. MULCAHyl Pollen was long believed to serve primarily a single function, that of delivering male gametes to the egge A secondary and generally overlooked value of pollen is that it serves to block the transmission of many defective alleles and gene combinations into the next generation. This latter function comes about simply because pollen tubes carrying defective haploid genotypes frequently fail to complete growth through the entire length of the style. However, the beneficial consequences of this pollen selection are diluted by the fact that the same deleterious genotypes are often transmitted through the egg at strictly mendelian frequencies (Khush, 1973). Gene expression in the pollen might thus at least appear to be a phenomenon of trivial consequence. Indeed, Heslop-Harrison (1979) rightly termed the gametophytic portion of the angiosperm life cycle, the "forgotten generation." This neglect, however, came about despite subtle but constant indications that pollen is the site of intense gene activity and selection. For example, Mok and Peloquin (1975) demonstrated that relatively heterozygous diploid pollen shows heterotic characteristics whereas relatively homozygous diploid pOllen does not. This was proof positive that genes are expressed (that is, transcribed and translated) in the pollen. 1 Department of Botany, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, USA viii However, the implications for pollen biology of even this recent and well known study were not widely recognized.
This book focuses on the biophysical aspects of tip growth: How do physical parameters like pressure, water potential, electrical fields, or ion currents contribute to and influence this specialized and highly dynamic form of cell growth? It provides an updated and balanced overview of the current state of knowledge and future research perspectives regarding how pollen tubes’ growth is driven and regulated by molecular interactions underlying the cellular processes. The individual chapters address topics ranging from molecular biophysical concepts to comprehensive omic studies and computational modeling of the tip growth process. In addition, a chapter on root hair cells is included to provide an alternative view on the underlying molecular principles of tip growth in general. Each chapter provides a summary of cutting-edge techniques, results and experimental data; a statement, hypothesis or conclusion on the importance of the aspect described for tip growth, particularly pollen tip growth; and addresses open gaps in our understanding and potential approaches to remedying them. The book offers experimental and theoretical solutions to help established researchers and newcomers to the field alike solve the many mysterious behaviors of pollen tube tips.
Pollen studies make important contributions nature, into three main themes: pollen struc to our knowledge in many interdisciplinary ture and constituents, pollen evolutionary arenas. Pollen identification is widely used in ecology and the pollen-pollinator interface. reconstruction of, e.g., vegetation, the climate Several papers overlap somewhat or are of the past, and plant biodiversity. Studies perhaps even somewhat contradictory and concerning pollen structure, size and form are reflect the author's own ideas and experience. key issues in basic sciences, as, e.g., plant Some could be understood more deeply by taxonomy and evolution, but are also of consulting other closely related articles. The importance in applied fields as, e.g., plant reader is strongly referred to the respective breeding. In pollination studies pollen is literature list of each article. generally used specifically to identify food ofanther ripening and pollen The last steps development (Pacini) and the mature pollen sources of visitors and to reconstruct their foraging routes. Fewer have been devoted to wall structure (Hesse) are key factors to pollen collection mechanisms and to the struc understand pollen dispersal mechanisms in ture and content of pollen in relation to its biotic pollination (Stroo) as well as abiotic pollination (Ackerman). Pollen size, shape, function.
Palynology finds applications in various fields. Some of them are taxonomy, plant evolution, plant breeding programmes, biotechnology, microbiology of water, soil and air, the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry, energy food industry, forensic science, aerobiology, allergy, epidemiology, meteorology, fossil fuel exploration and biodiversity.