[Comparative study on meiotic behavior and pollen development of medicinal plants Liriope spicata var. prolifera and L. spicata].

Objective: To reveal the mechanism of sterility of Liriope spicata var. prolifera.

Method: Meiotic behavior and pollen development of L. spicata var. prolifera were described in detail. Its proto-variety L. spicata was also investigated for comparison.

Result: During the meiosis of microspore mother cells (MMC), most of cells displayed normally in L. spicata, but abnormally in L. spicata var. prolifera. The abnormity was showed that: some chromosomes or their fragments moved out of the spindle of the cell at metaphase; some chromosome bridges, fragments and lagging ones were formed at anaphase; and many microspores displayed the micronucleus at the telophase. The pollen development was abnormal in L. spicata var. prolifera and normal in L. spicata, with the aberration rate of pollen was 95.81% and 3.44% separately.

Conclusion: These results indicate that some abnormalities of meiotic behavior and pollen development are main reasons for inducing microspore abortion during its development.