Understanding the molecular basis of pollen germination in cereals holds great potential to improve yield. Pollen, a highly specialized haploid male gametophyte, transports sperm cells through a pollen tube to the female ovule for fertilization, directly determining grain yield in cereal crops. Although insights into the regulation of pollen germination and gamete interaction have advanced rapidly in the model Arabidopsis thaliana (arabidopsis), the molecular mechanisms in monocot cereals remain largely unknown. Recently, pollen-specific genome-wide and mutant analyses in rice and maize have extended our understanding of monocot regulatory components. We highlight conserved and diverse mechanisms underlying pollen hydration, germination, and tube growth in cereals that provide ideas for translating this research from arabidopsis. Recent developments in gene-editing systems may facilitate further functional genetic research.
