LAUSR

Abstract The genus Hydrangea L. is comprised of some of the most popular ornamental plants in the world. The development of interspecific hybrids between Hydrangea species and within the family Hydrangeaceae would increase genetic diversity in the Hydrangea breeding pool and lead to unique combinations of desirable traits. Protocols to estimate Hydrangea pollen viability need to be optimized in order to perform basic studies on self- and cross-incompatibility, fertility of hybrids, formation of unreduced gametes, and pollen storage. Our goal is to quantify pollen production in Dichroa, Hydrangea, and their hybrids, determine the optimal media for pollen germination, and develop a series of correlations between staining and germinating that can be applied to stained pollen for a rapid, precise estimate of viability. Production of round versus oblong pollen grains was heavily influenced by species (F = 335.8, p