The Effect of Dimethyl Sulfoxide on Compatible and Incompatible Pollen Tube Growth in Lilium longiflorum Thunb. Styles

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) applied to pollen or styles of Lilium longiflorum penetrated the tissues sufficiently to affect pollen tube growth in the style. Tube growth in styles either submerged in 10% DMSO for 10 min before pollination or pollinated with pollen suspended in 10% DMSO was significantly retarded; 5% DMSO applied either to pollen or to the style significantly reduced the length of incompatible pollen tube growth but had no significant effect on compatible tube growth. Direct application of 5% DMSO to the pollen tube environment, achieved by injection with a carrier into the hollow style of the lily, either before or 12 hours after pollination, verified the results observed in pollen and stylar treatments: incompatible tube growth was significantly retarded while compatible tube growth was unaffected. The response of incompatible L. longiflorum pollen tubes in vivo to 5% DMSO parallels that of tubes grown in vitro and suggests metabolic similarities not shared by compatible pollen tubes in vivo.