Comparative Study on Pollen Viability Detection Methods for Camellia oleifera

The pollen vitality of seven species in genus Camellia were determined by four different methods i.e., triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC), mineral acid, in vitro and in vivo germination. The results indicated that TTC method, but not the mineral acid method, was suitable to detect the pollen viability of Camellia genus, The detect result obtained from in vivo germination method was not so accurate, but it could be applied to describe the pollen vigor more effectively. It was showed that the in vitro germination method was the best and the most ideal way to determine the pollen viability for species in Camellia genus.