Abstract:Cytochemical technique for staining lipids, polysaccharides and proteins in the same section from the tissue embedded in Epon 812 was used to observe the anther and ndcrospore development of photo-/thermo-sensitive genic male-sterile rice Nongken 58S (NK58S) and W6154S. The results are as follows. Under fertile condition, the development of the microspore and anther wall of NK58S was not different from that of W6154S. During the microsporocyte stage, there were some polysaccharide grains in the middle layer and endothecium, but not in tapetal cells. The tapetum was easily staincd with Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB). As the microsporocyte went into mciosis, a few polysaccharide grains were present in anther wall. The tapetum was stained actively with Schiff reagent instead of with CBB. Lipid bodies were observed in ma- ture pollen of both NK58S and W6154S. Under abortive condition, although the distribution of polysaccharide grains in anther wall and the staining reaction in tapetum were the same as they were under fertile condition until the separation of uninucleate dricrospore from tetrad, there existed some differences between NK58S and W6154S concerning the whole process of anther and microspore development. Abortion occurred in NK58S earlier than that in W6154S. Even before meiosis, the ndcrosporocyte of NK58S had shown anomalous shape or adhering to the tapetum. At the stage of pollen maturation, the anther wall of W6154S degenerated more thoroughly and consisted of only epidermis and endothecium, however, that of NK58S consisted of epidermis, middle layer and endothecium.