Abstract
It is currently accepted that polyamines play important roles in male gametogenesis and pollen function. Microspore and immature pollen have the ability to synthesize polyamines and a loss of this ability may lead to the sterile pollen formation. Typically, genic male sterility of maize and some other species has been characterized by having very low levels of polyamines (acid-insoluble hydroxycinnamic acid amides in particular) in the anther. Polyamines are also required for pollen germination and tube growth to proceed normally. In tomato pollen polyamine biosynthesis is enhanced prior to tube emergence, which is mainly regulated at the translational level. The decline in pollen germination at high temperature and during dry storage can be attributable at least in part to the impaired capacity to translate polyamine biosynthetic enzyme genes.
