MERISTEM STRUCTURE, DEVELOPMENT OF CONES AND MICROSPOROGENESIS OF TEHRAN PINE (PINUS ELDARICA Medw.)

Abstract

Tehran pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.) belongs to Pinaceae family with significant economic and ecological benefits. To gain further insight into anatomical-developmental structure of P. eldarica, both the vegetative and generative meristematic tissues and microsporogenesis were been studied during certain stages of development. To do this, meristematic tissues and male cones were initially fixed in FAA solution (37% formaldehyde, 96% ethanol and glacial acetic acid with a 2:7:1 ratio, respectively). They were then embedded in paraffin and sectioned using a rotary microtome. Prior to visualization and photography under a camera-equipped light microscope, they were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (Zeiss model). Our results revealed the vegetative meristem of P. eldarica to be in the Cryptomerya-Abies category. The results also indicated it is a protuberant (dome-like) type containing four regions. The meiosis occurs before the winter dormancy and continues through the winter. The pollen is shed at the four-cell stage of development