Combinations of extracts from pollen and styles of Petunia hybrida caused an increase of the deamination by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). However, neither the combination of 54- fold purified style GDH and pollen extract, nor the combination of partly purified pollen GDH and style extract resulted in an activation of the deamination by GDH. It appeared that the increase of the GDH deamination found after combining pollen and style extract was caused by activation of a dehydrogenase which interferes with the GDH deamination assay. Although this dehydrogenase was found to be present in both pollen and styles, it was only active in the styles since it needed an aromatic amine or phenol for its catalytical action which was found in the styles, but not in the pollen.