Genetic studies in potatoes; sterility

Abstract

Male sterility in potatoes, that is the absence of pollen from the anthers, has been shown by one of us (Salaman(1)) to behave as a recessive to male fertility. The present paper is an account of some farther experiments in the genetics of this character, particularly of crosses between two varieties in which the reciprocals give different results. Both quantity and quality of pollen were estimated by methods similar to those used by Salaman(1) Four empirical grades of quantity were employed, viz. “abundant,” “midium,” “small” and “very few grains.” The quality of the pollen was determined by mounting a sample in water and examining microscopically. Under this treatment living and presumably healthy grains swell up, appear spherical and translucent, whilst the pores become prominent. Such grains are termed “good.” Bad grains are generally smaller, irregular in outline, and often appear quite empty.