| Abstract: | The Developmental process of apomictic embryo sac and embryo in a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. ) line SSA-1 was observed under light microscope, using the method of conventional paraffin sectioning. The result showed that the apomictic development conforms apospory and diplospory. The uninucleate embryo sac underwent mitotic divisions for three times to form a seven-celled or eight-nuclei mature embryo sac including an egg, two synergids, two polar nuclei and three antipodals. The antipodals divided and multiplicated to form an antipodal mass. Moreover, aposporous multiarchesporial cells and multiple embryo sacs were infrequently observed. Without pollination, the egg divided autonomously to form a typical graminaceous mature embryo. The authors counted the apomictic sections in the whole sections and the result showed that the frequency of apomixis was 42%, indicating the facultative apomictic property in the line SSA-1. The characteristics of apomictic process in the line SSA-1 is also discussed. |
