Abstract: Pollen grains of three cultivars‘Longshu 3’, ‘Favorita’and ‘Shapody’of potato were treated following a three2step p rocedure: 1. Starvation treatment at 4 - 7℃ for 3 - 5 d; 2. Hydration at 4℃ for 20 h; 3. Heat shock at 36℃ for 20 - 100 min and osmotic shock for 40 min. After the three2step treatment the exine could be detached along the germination furrowswith the detachment rate of 34.5%. The germination rate of the nake pollen of cultivars potato could reach 38.3% in a modified medium containing 15% PEG (MW 8000) , 5% sucrose, 0.01% H₃BO₃ , 0.01% LH, 100 mg/L PVP and K₃'salts ( pH 8.5). The results showed the three-step procedure established in this experiment was a useful tool for detaching the exine of potato pollen and understanding the biological role of exine in pollen germination and pollination.

Key words: Potato, Pollen, De-exined pollen, Artificial pollen germination