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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the viability and germination characteristics of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) pollen under different storage conditions (refrigerator and room temperature), in different containers (Eppendorf tubes and watch glasses) and over different durations (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 30 days). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively evaluate the combined effects of storage temperature, storage container, storage duration, and multiple germination media on lettuce pollen performance using both univariate and multivariate statistical approaches. Data were analysed using appropriate univariate and multivariate statistical methods to evaluate treatment effects and identify the major factors influencing pollen performance. Refrigerated storage and Eppendorf tubes significantly improved pollen germination compared with room temperature and watch glasses. Germination declined progressively with storage duration, while Medium 6 (45% sucrose supplemented with H₃BO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂ without agar) produced the highest germination percentage. Multivariate analyses further identified storage duration and germination medium as the principal factors influencing pollen performance. These findings establish an optimized protocol for short-term lettuce pollen storage and provide valuable guidance for hybrid breeding, germplasm conservation, and future studies on lettuce reproductive biology.

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