Tomato pollen respiration in relation to in vitro germination and pollen tube growth under favourable and stress-inducing temperatures

Tomato pollen germination, pollen tube growth and respiratory activity were recorded during incubation in a liquid medium for 7 h over a temperature range of 15–35°C. Although the initial rate of respiration was highest at 30°C, both at 30°C and 35°C respiration decreased after the first hour of incubation due to high temperature impairment of germination and pollen tube growth. The total per cent germination of pollen over the 7-h period was maximal at 15°C whereas pollen tube length was maximal at 25°C. Although the production of CO2 measured at hourly intervals throughout the incubation period did not correlate to a statistically significant level with either the per cent pollen germination or the length of the pollen tubes alone, nevertheless from 2 h after the start of incubation, it closely correlated with the values for germination × pollen tube length, indicating that the respiratory activity of tomato pollen at a given time is a function of both the per cent germination and the pollen tube growth. We suggest therefore that the rate of respiration might be preferable to a simple germination test for the assessment of pollen germination ability since it expresses not only the pollen germination potential but also the growth vigour of the pollen tubes. In addition, where in vitro tests are designed to assess pollen germination–temperature interactions, they should employ a long incubation period (e.g. 7 h) to permit differences in sensitivity to temperature to be observed.