The strong competitive role of 2n pollen in several polyploidy hybridizations in Rosa hybrida

BACKGROUND: 2n pollen play a strong competitive role in hybridization and breeding of multiploids in Rosa hybrida. The ploidy inheritable characteristic of ‘Orange Fire’ × ‘Old Blush’ were analyzed. RESULT: The results of the cytological observations indicated that 2n pollen developed from the defeated cytoplasmic division or nuclear division in the meiosis metaphase II of PMC (pollen mother cell) in ‘Old Blush’. The natural generation rate of the 2n pollen in ‘Old Blush’ (2x) was about 1.39 in percentage of all male gametes, whereas the tetraploids in the F1 offspring possessed a high rate, i.e., 44.00%. The temporal and spatial characteristics of ‘Old Blush’ pollen germination on the stigma and growth in pistil of ‘Orange Fire’ and ‘DEE’ were observed, and the results suggested that the germination rate of 2n pollen on the stigma was not superior to that of 1n pollen, but that the proportion of 2n pollen increased to 30.90 and 37.20%, respectively, while it traversed the stigma and entered into style. The callose plug in the 2n pollen tube was significantly thinner than that of 1n pollen tube. And each trait involved in our experiment probably is very important for F1 morphological phenotypes. CONCLUSION: We conclude that 2n pollen are involved in hybridization and have a competitive advantage while it traversed the stigma and entered into style. The callose plug in the 2n pollen tube was may have strongly influenced the competitive process in R. hybrida. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-019-1696-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.