Pollen Data Table

Procedure

Before Experiment:
-Format experiment and question
-Brainstorm hypothesis
-Collect flowers (make sure flowers are pre-dried before experiment)

Preparing Stub:
(1) Gather stub, carbon tape, and liquid air
(2) Carefully place carbon tape on stub
(3) Examine Azalea for pollen using the dissecting scope
(4) Remove pollen from flower
(5) Gently place pollen onto stub with paintbrush
(6) Repeat steps 3-5 for Hosta and Crocosmia
(7) Using the liquid air, spray the stub in a spiral rotation (start 18 inches away, move in until 2 inches away)

SEM Experiment Examination:
(1) Push stub into cup
(2) Place stub into SEM Microscope
(3) Study each type of pollen under FEI Phenom Pro SEM Microscope
(4) Take pictures of pollen with SEM Microscope (use different magnifications)
        -at least use 2,000, 20,000x zoom!
(5) Remove stub

Germination Lab:
(1) Gather 3 concave slides, 3 cover slips, 3 tubes of pollen growth media and dropper.
(2) Examine Azalea for pollen using the dissecting scope
(3) Remove pollen from flower
(4) Place pollen on concave slide
(5) add 3-4 drops of the pollen growth media
(6) Place cover slip on slide
(7) Place slide under microscope
(8) Examine and take pictures
(9) Repeat steps 2-8 for Hosta and Crocosmia
(10) As a team, in a google doc, answer the following questions
         -Explain why pollen tube growth is so important to fertilization?
         -What factors are important for pollen tube growth?
         -How does pollen reach the ovule? What happens afterwards? Be detailed and include drawings.
         -What is the advantage of cross-pollination and how do plants control for it?

Lecia EZ4:
(1) Using the Lecia EZ4 microscope examine the Azalea
(2) Focus the microscope so that there is a clear view of the pollen and is centered
(3) Record any and all observations the team sees.
(4) Using the computer and Lecia EZ4 microscope, Take a picture of the focused flower
          -Make sure it is at 35x
(5) Repeat steps 1-4 for Hosta and Crocosmia

Question...

Question:

Is pollen morphology affected by whether the flower is a monocot or a dicot?

Hypothesis

We think that the two monocot flowers' pollen will have more structural similarities and be closer to the same size than the dicot flower's pollen. Since the two monocot flowers come from the same "ancestry" it is apparent to us that they will have many similarities.