Ethylene Production and Ethylene-induced Apogamous Bud Formation in Nine Gametophytic Strains of Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn

Abstract

A comparative study of the abilities of nine gametophytic strains of Pteridium aquilinum to produce ethylene and to undergo apogamy was conducted. Each gametophytic strain produced ethylene at its characteristic rate and all the strains, except one, formed apogamous buds in response to evolved ethylene which collected within sealed culture vessels or to exogenous ethylene supplied in a continuous-flow system. The number of apogamous buds produced by each strain was not directly related to the ability of the strain to produce ethylene, but rather appeared to be dependent on the ability of the gametophytes to respond to ethylene.