If anthers' morphology cannot tell, probably you need to cut open the anthers and check to see whether pollens exist.
For knowing whether pollens are viable or fertile, probably you have to remove some pollens and perform a pollen viability test. A couple of pollen viability test methods are mentioned here at this website:
http://www.coloss.org/beebook/I/pollination/3/1/5/1
From the attached picture, you can see that the method can be used to distinguish viable pollens (bright fluorescence) from non-viable pollens (from the website).
Don't know which plant species you are studying on.
In carrots, there is one male sterility (no pollens) called 'brown anther' male sterility. Carrot breeders use it for hybrid carrot production. Brown anther sterility has been found in several cultivated and wild carrot sources. These plants begin forming normal anthers but development is halted as anthers fail to continue through to mature pollen production, remain rudimentary and turn brown (see attached pictures).
So, in this case, you can just tell the sterile/fertile anthers from observing the morphology of the anthers.
Very grateful for your answer
Im study on Salvia genus breeding. the pollen viability test suitable method. Although observing the anther morphology is good and fast way for breeding programs.
very thanks
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