Pollen Tube Culture on a Lactose Medium

Abstract

A modified sugar-agar technic for growing pollen tubes is described in which a Van Tieghem cell is used as a moist chamber, and 12% lactose substituted for the normally used sucrose. The advantages offered over previous technics are: (1) direct observation of germination and growth at any stage and for any period of time, (2) easier prevention of bacterial contamination with the long growth periods required to obtain pollen tube divi- sions, (3) simple method for making permanent slides which are suitable for cytological study.