Test corn

1995/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Nekazaritza

In a situation very similar to that of crop fields, but in vitro, French researchers have achieved the first fertilization of corn. So far this technique was applied in flowering plants. In fact, in other plants gametes are protected by cellular tissues and are not found in liquids such as animals or algae.

The director of ENS de Lyon, Christian Dumas, has overcome this difficulty before fertilization. In 1986 sperm were isolated from pollen by osmotic shocks or a rather acidic solution. In 1989 the females of both gametes left their embryo bag (inside the pistil) by enzymatic digestion and microdissection.

Each sexual organ has two gametes. It is a double fertilization in plants with angiosperm or flower. A fertilized cell will give endosperm, that is, a feeder tissue to develop the second cell that will form the embryo. Once the previous barrier has been overcome, researchers have been able to conduct in vitro fertilization sessions.

Unlike the German research group, the Frenchman has placed gametes in a calcium-rich solution. In this way the gametes have been fused maintaining the characteristics of natural fertilization. Only gametes of the same species are allowed and only those from another plant. In addition, a single sperm can be incorporated into the female cell similar to mammals.