Evaluation of Pollen Grain Viability and Selection of Suitable Pollinizer for Three Hazelnut Cultivars

Pollen grain viability of five hazelnut cultivar Gerche, Negret, Pashmineh, Gerdoii and Gerd-e-Eshkevarat was evaluated to investigate the storage time and select the best pollinizer among them. In the first experiment, half of pollen grains were stored at room temperature (25 ± 1°C) and the rest in refrigerator (4°C). After 24 hours, 5, 10 and 20 days, pollen grains were cultured on medium culture containing 10, 15 and 20% sucrose and 10 gl-1 agar (pH=6.5). The highest percentage of pollen germination was observed in medium containing 15% sucrose. After 20 days the mean pollen germination of Gerde-e-Eshkevarat, Pashmineh, Gercheh, Gerdoii and Negret cultivars was 54.48, 42.67, 42.21, 35.59 and 31.41% respectively at 4°C. In the second experiment, Kasford, Dubase and Secorp cultivars were pollinated with five male parents. Open pollination was considered as control. Open pollination and pollination with Gercheh and Gerdoii as male parents (means 51.37, 49.83 and 45.51, respectively) and Secorp and Dubase cultivars as female parents (means 55.03 and 52.92) had the highest mean of fruit set. Open pollination of Dubase and Secorp and cross pollination between Gercheh with Dubase and Secorp had also the highest mean of fruit set. Kasford cultivar with mean 19.75 produced the highest mean of blank fruit percentage.