Evaluation of pollen tube growth ability in Petunia species having different style lengths

Pollen tube growth is essential for the fertilization process in angiosperms. When pollen grains arrive on the stigma, they germinate, and the pollen tubes elongate through the styles of the pistils to deliver sperm cells into the ovules to produce the seeds. The relationship between the growth rate and style length remains unclear. In previous studies, we developed a liquid pollen germination medium for observing pollen tube growth. In this study, using this medium, we examined the pollen tube growth ability in Petunia axillaris subsp. axillaris, P. axillaris subsp. parodii, P. integrifolia, and P. occidentalis, which have different style lengths. Petunia occidentalis had the longest pollen tubes after 6 h of culture but had a relatively shorter style. Conversely, the pollination experiments revealed that P. axillaris subsp. parodii, which had the longest style, produced the longest pollen tubes in vivo. The results revealed no clear relationship between the style lengths and the growth rate of pollen tubes in vitro. Interspecific pollinations indicated that the styles affected pollen tube growth. We concluded that, in vitro, the pollen tubes grow without being affected by the styles, whereas, in vivo, the styles significantly affected pollen tube growth. Furthermore, interspecific pollination experiments implied that the pollen tube growth tended to be suppressed in the styles of self-incompatibility species. Finally, we discussed the pollen tube growth ability in relation to style lengths.