Abstract: Eight tomato cultivars with different heat tolerance were planted in the subtropical area. The ratios of pollen sterile were checked in the summer. According to pollen sterility, the tomato plants were classified into two types: heat tolerant type and heat sensitive type. Meanwhile, the transcription of four types of small heat shock protein genes in tomato anthers were analyzed. The constitutive mRNA of cytosolic andmitochondrial2located small heat shock protein genes were detected in the anthers. The significant heat induced transcription of cytosolic and mitochondrial-locted sHSP genes occurred in the summer. The temperature corresponding to the sHSP transcription peak in anthers of heat sensitive cultivars was lower than that of the heat tolerance cultivars.

Key words: Small heat shock protein, Pollen, Sterility, High temperature stress, Tomato, Anther