In vitro POLLEN VIABILITY, GERMINATION AND POLLEN TUBE GROWTH IN SOME POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum L.) CULTIVARS FROM CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

In this study in vitro pollen viability and germination in intact pollens and pollen tube growth in germinated pollens of five common pomegranate cultivars grown in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was investigated first time. Pollen viability varied from 36.73% (cv. Konjski Zub) to 51.80% (cv. Barski) in fluorescent diacetat (FDA) test. The average pollen germination percentages were found as the lowest 6.83% in cv. Konjski Zub and the highest 42.51% in cv Glavas. Among the germination media in general 0.2 agar + 10% sucrose+5 ppm H(3)BO(3) gave better results to obtain higher pollen germination for all cultivars. In germinated pollens of these five cultivars, significant differences were observed on pollen tube length. Average pollen tube lengths in germinated pollens of five cultivars were measured as minimum 302 mu m in cv. Konjski Zub and as maximum 344 mu m in cv. Ciparski. The results showed that there were obvious differences in pollen germinability among cultivars growing under the same environmental conditions and these differences must be considered for orchard establishment to obtain higher yield.