Pollen - Stigma Interactions and Sexual Compatibility Among Seashore Paspalum Genotypes.

Selection of parental lines with high levels of sexual compatibility is essential when developing new seeded seashore paspalum cultivars. The stigma receptivity and the pollen-stigma compatibility are crucial in the process of fertilization, but little is known about these aspects of seed production in seashore paspalum. Experiments were conducted to investigate stigma receptivity, pollen tube development, and sexual compatibility interactions among genotypes. Aniline blue staining was used as a technique for visualing pollen tube growth within the stigma and style. Also, a 6×6 full-diallel crossing experiment was conducted to determine the level of compatibility of different parental line combinations. Our results indicate that seashore paspalum is self-incompatible but cross-fertile with very differing levels of compatibility among genotypes