Anther and pollen development in some species of Poaceae (Poales).

Anther and pollen development were studied in Olyra humilis Nees, Sucrea monophylla Soderstr, (Bambusoideae), Axonopus aureus P. Beauv., Paspalum polyphyllum Nees ex Trin. (Panicoideae), Eragrostis solida Nees, and Chloris elata Desv. (Chloridoideae). The objective of this study was to characterise, embryologically, these species of subfamilies which are considered basal, intermediate and derivate, respectively. The species are similar to each other and to other Poaceae. They present the following characters: tetrasporangiate anthers; monocotyledonous-type anther wall development, endothecium showing annular thickenings, secretory tapetum; successive microsporogenesis; isobilateral tetrads; spheroidal, tricellular, monoporate pollen grains with annulus and operculum. Nevertheless, the exine patterns of the species studied are distinct. Olyra humilis and Sucrea monophylla (Bambusoideae) show a granulose pattern, whereas in the other species, it is insular. In addition, Axonopus aureus and Paspalum polyphyllum (Panicoideae) have a compactly insular spinule pattern, while Chloris elata and Eragrostis solida (Chloridoideae) show a sparsely insular spinule pattern. The exine ornamentation may be considered an important feature at the infrafamiliar level.

Anther and pollen development in some species of Poaceae (Poales) / Desenvolvimento da antera e do grão de pólen em espécies de Poaceae (Poales)

Anther and pollen development were studied in Olyra humilis Nees, Sucrea monophylla Soderstr, (Bambusoideae), Axonopus aureus P. Beauv., Paspalum polyphyllum Nees ex Trin. (Panicoideae), Eragrostis solida Nees, and Chloris elata Desv. (Chloridoideae). The objective of this study was to characterise, embryologically, these species of subfamilies which are considered basal, intermediate and derivate, respectively. The species are similar to each other and to other Poaceae. They present the following characters: tetrasporangiate anthers; monocotyledonous-type anther wall development, endothecium showing annular thickenings, secretory tapetum; successive microsporogenesis; isobilateral tetrads; spheroidal, tricellular, monoporate pollen grains with annulus and operculum. Nevertheless, the exine patterns of the species studied are distinct. Olyra humilis and Sucrea monophylla (Bambusoideae) show a granulose pattern, whereas in the other species, it is insular. In addition, Axonopus aureus and Paspalum polyphyllum (Panicoideae) have a compactly insular spinule pattern, while Chloris elata and Eragrostis solida (Chloridoideae) show a sparsely insular spinule pattern. The exine ornamentation may be considered an important feature at the infrafamiliar level.

O desenvolvimento da antera e do grão de pólen de Olyra humilis Nees, Sucrea monophylla Soderstr. (Bambusoideae), Axonopus aureus P. Beauv., Paspalum polyphyllum Nees ex Trin. (Panicoideae), Eragrostis solida Nees and Chloris elata Desv. (Chloridoideae) foi estudado visando caracterizar embriologicamente essas espécies de subfamílias consideradas basal, intermediária e derivada, respectivamente. As espécies são similares entre si e entre as demais Poaceae. Apresentam os seguintes caracteres: anteras tetrasporangiadas; desenvolvimento da parede da antera do tipo monocotiledôneo, endotécio com espessamento de parede anelar, tapete secretor; microsporogênese sucessiva; tétrades isobilaterais; grãos de pólen esféricos, tricelulares, monoporados, com anel e opérculo. Por outro lado, o padrão de ornamentação da exina do grão de pólen é distinto. Olyra humilis e Sucrea monophylla (Bambusoideae) apresentam padrão granuloso e as demais espécies padrão insular. Axonopus aureus e Paspalum polyphyllum (Panicoideae) apresentam espínulos densamente agrupados, enquanto Chloris elata e Eragrostis solida (Chloridoideae) espínulos esparsamente agrupados. A ornamentação da exina dos grãos de pólen pode ser considerada caráter importante a nível infrafamiliar.

Anther and pollen development in some species of Poaceae (Poales) / Desenvolvimento da antera e do grão de pólen em espécies de Poaceae (Poales)

Anther and pollen development were studied in Olyra humilis Nees, Sucrea monophylla Soderstr, (Bambusoideae), Axonopus aureus P. Beauv., Paspalum polyphyllum Nees ex Trin. (Panicoideae), Eragrostis solida Nees, and Chloris elata Desv. (Chloridoideae). The objective of this study was to characterise, embryologically, these species of subfamilies which are considered basal, intermediate and derivate, respectively. The species are similar to each other and to other Poaceae. They present the following characters: tetrasporangiate anthers; monocotyledonous-type anther wall development, endothecium showing annular thickenings, secretory tapetum; successive microsporogenesis; isobilateral tetrads; spheroidal, tricellular, monoporate pollen grains with annulus and operculum. Nevertheless, the exine patterns of the species studied are distinct. Olyra humilis and Sucrea monophylla (Bambusoideae) show a granulose pattern, whereas in the other species, it is insular. In addition, Axonopus aureus and Paspalum polyphyllum (Panicoideae) have a compactly insular spinule pattern, while Chloris elata and Eragrostis solida (Chloridoideae) show a sparsely insular spinule pattern. The exine ornamentation may be considered an important feature at the infrafamiliar level.(AU)

O desenvolvimento da antera e do grão de pólen de Olyra humilis Nees, Sucrea monophylla Soderstr. (Bambusoideae), Axonopus aureus P. Beauv., Paspalum polyphyllum Nees ex Trin. (Panicoideae), Eragrostis solida Nees and Chloris elata Desv. (Chloridoideae) foi estudado visando caracterizar embriologicamente essas espécies de subfamílias consideradas basal, intermediária e derivada, respectivamente. As espécies são similares entre si e entre as demais Poaceae. Apresentam os seguintes caracteres: anteras tetrasporangiadas; desenvolvimento da parede da antera do tipo monocotiledôneo, endotécio com espessamento de parede anelar, tapete secretor; microsporogênese sucessiva; tétrades isobilaterais; grãos de pólen esféricos, tricelulares, monoporados, com anel e opérculo. Por outro lado, o padrão de ornamentação da exina do grão de pólen é distinto. Olyra humilis e Sucrea monophylla (Bambusoideae) apresentam padrão granuloso e as demais espécies padrão insular. Axonopus aureus e Paspalum polyphyllum (Panicoideae) apresentam espínulos densamente agrupados, enquanto Chloris elata e Eragrostis solida (Chloridoideae) espínulos esparsamente agrupados. A ornamentação da exina dos grãos de pólen pode ser considerada caráter importante a nível infrafamiliar.(AU)

Field performance of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) plants derived from cryopreserved calluses.

This study compared the field performance of sugarcane plants originating from three different sources: control, non-cryopreserved embryogenic calluses, cryopreserved embryogenic calluses and macropropagated material of the same commercial hybrid. Several agronomic traits were evaluated on 100 plants per treatment over a 27-month period covering the growth of the stool and of the first ratoon. Significant differences between treatments were observed only during the first six months of field growth of sugarcane stools. Stems produced from in vitro cultured material, irrespective of their cryopreservation status, had a smaller diameter and a shorter height than those produced from macropropagated material. These differences disappeared by 12 months of stool field growth.

Isolation of cDNA clones differentially expressed in flowers of apomictic and sexual Paspalum notatum.

Paspalum notatum is a subtropical forage grass, which reproduces by either sexuality or aposporous gametophytic apomixis. The objective of this work was to identify and isolate mRNA transcripts differentially expressed during the development of the megagametophyte from spikelets of apomictic and sexual P. notatum. Crossing of a sexual mother plant with an apomictic pollen donor generated a progeny family segregating for reproductive mode. Individuals from this F1 family were cytoembryologically classified as sexual or apomictic. Spikelet mRNA compositions from both groups of plants were compared by differential display using an RNA-bulked procedure. Fifty primer combinations were assayed to generate nearly 2,500 total bands in the fingerprints. Three transcripts expressed at higher levels in apomictic plants (apo417, apo398, and apo396) were identified, isolated and cloned. Sequencing showed a high level of homology among the isolated clones. Analysis by RT-PCR Southern blots followed by densitometric studies confirmed that expression reached a level around 30 times higher in apomictic than in sexual individuals and was probably induced at early stages of the megagametophyte development. Genomic DNA from the parental and the F1 progeny plants showed 4-5 bands when hybridised with apo417 in Southern blots. Comparisons to the sequence data banks revealed no identities to genes of known function. However, a putative deduced 3' protein fragment showed homology to the well-characterised KSP multi-phosphorylation domain previously detected in several cdc2-regulated cytoskeletal proteins.