Effects of different nickelous compounds on pollen germination and tube growth of fruit trees

The effects of different nickelous compounds (including nickelous chloride, nickelous nitrate and nickelous sulfate) on pollen germination and tube growth of fruit trees were studied using different cultivars of peach and apricot as materials. The results show that lower concentration of Ni2+ promotes pollen germination and tube growth of the fruit trees obviously, while higher concentration of Ni2+ inhibits them significantly for the 3 Ni2+ sources. The suitable concentration of pollen germination for the peach and apricot cultivars are 4–6 mol/L and 2 mol/L, respectively. The effects are changed with the concentration of Ni2+, the kinds of Ni2+ and the varieties of fruits. In a word, the Ni2+ fertilization is useful for fruits’ growth and development.