TY - JOUR AU1 - Guo, Ye AU2 - Li, Xiang AU3 - Huang, Feiyi AU4 - Pang, Xiaoming AU5 - Li, Yingyue AB - Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is an important fruit tree species in China. In this study, we studied the megasporogenesis, microsporogenesis, and female and male gametophyte development of two major jujube cultivars, “Dongzao” and “Mayazao,” using the squash technique, improved paraffin section technology, and optical microscopy. Our investigation revealed that both “Dongzao” and “Mayazao” have bilocular ovaries, basal placenta, and anatropous, bitegmic, crassinucellate ovules. The tetrads formed by meiosis of megaspore mother cells are arranged in a straight line or a tetrahedron. Embryo sac development is of the Polygonum type. The flower buds contain five anthers, each having four pollen sacs. The anther wall, which is of the fundamental form, is composed of epidermis, endothecium, one or two middle layers, and glandular tapetum. Mature pollen grains are two-celled and three-colporate. Both “Dongzao” and “Mayazao” can form normal mature pollen grains. Our study, which has revealed the basic phenomena and progression of megasporogenesis, microsporogenesis, and female and male gametophyte development in jujube, has generated important data for further research on jujube cytology and reproductive biology. Finally, our explorations of the cytological mechanism of male sterility in “Dongzao” also have provided a cytological basis for crossbreeding. TI - Megasporogenesis, microsporogenesis, and female and male gametophyte development in Ziziphus jujuba Mill JF - Protoplasma DO - 10.1007/s00709-019-01395-x DA - 2019-06-10 UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer-journals/megasporogenesis-microsporogenesis-and-female-and-male-gametophyte-to1JN093Hn SP - 1519 EP - 1530 VL - 256 IS - 6 DP - DeepDyve ER -