Studies on the physiology of pollen and pollen tube growth. IV Eschscholtzia californica Cham.

Eschscholtzia californica stigmas with germinating pollen at different stages of development were the subject of histochemical studies which aimed the localization of several enzymes like phosphorylase, leucine amino peptidase, nonspecific esterase, cytochrome oxidase, aldolase, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, monoamine oxidase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase and beta-galactosidase. Pollen and pollen tubes were shown to contain starch, lipid, proteins and soluble sugars as the storage products. These storage products were utilized during germination and tube growth. The role of different enzymes in the process of germination and tube growth is discussed. From the distribution of oxidoreductases it is inferred that respiration plays an essential role in the tube growth. During pollen germination probably the reserve proteins were transported to pollen tube tip. The increase of activity of alpha-and beta-galactosidase in pollen tubes indicates on their involvement in carbohydrate metabolism. The role of alpha-galactosidase in the metabolism of galactolipids is also inferred. Similarly, the reaction catalysed by beta-glucosidase resulted in the production of aglycon and glucose; of these the former possibly act as a substrate of peroxidase. Some of the glycosidases diffused out of pollen wall on the stigma and participated in the release of free sugars of the female tissue.