DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISMS OF MOVEMENT BETWEEN A GENERATIVE CELL AND A VEGETATIVE NUCLEUS IN POLLEN TUBES OF NICOTIANA-TABACUM AS REVEALED BY ADDITIONS OF COLCHICINE AND NONANOIC ACID

The growth of pollen tubes of Nicotiana tabacum cultured in a petri dish was divided into five stages by the behaviors of pollen tubes, vegetative nuclei (VNs), and generative cells (GCs). Pollen tubes continued to elongate during every stage. Colchicine, at a concentration of 1 mM, preferentially inhibited the movement of the VNs but not that of GCs. Nonanoic acid preferentially inhibited the movement of GCs. These results suggest that different mechanisms of movement exist between VNs and GCs.