title: Effects of simulated acid rain on fertility of litchi.
abstract: The regulatory role of calcium in fertility of pollen and pistil under simulated acid rain was investigated. The germination percentage of pollen treated with acid rain of pH 4.5 was 9.42% lower than that of control, and that of pH 3.5, pH 2.5 and pH 1.5 were 22.47%, 45.49% and 71.62%, respectively. Simultaneously, the injury character of pollen was obviously observed when flowers were treated with acid rain of pH 3.5. The difference in fruit setting rate between the female flower treated with acid rain of pH 4.0 and the control was significant at p < 0.05. Ca(NO3)2 of 0.2-0.4 mmol/L could promote pollen germination under the stress of acid rain. The beneficial function was reduced when calcium concentration surpassed 0.8 mmol/L. Spraying 2 mmol/L Ca(NO3)2 reduced the injury of acid rain to pistil and increased fruit-setting rate significantly. The physiological importance of calcium during pollen germination and pistil development was also discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China. qiudl1970@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dong-liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xing-hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Su-zhi
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D015258:Acid Rain / Q000633:toxicity*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects*; D032125:Litchi / Q000502:physiology*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011058:Pollen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D015258:Acid Rain; D002118:Calcium