Long term storage of pollen

deshima

16 years ago

Does anyone know how to store pollen for ten months or so?

If so are there any tricks to it?

I have seen it stored in capsules in the freezer but will it keep for a year?

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Comments (4)

maryann_____chgo
16 years ago
Frozen in capsules, in foil, or in film cannisters, I have read that it will last forever.
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caliloo
16 years ago
I just picked this up from a DL hybridizing site - I bet it would work for hosta pollen too....

Collecting and Storing Pollen

1. Contact lens cases make good storage containers. You can buy them cheap from your local pharmacist. Cut them in half to make single storage containers, and number them with a Sharpie permanent marker. Make a numbered list of your pollen parents to correspond with the numbers on the cases.

2. Collect pollen in the morning after the daylilies are fully open and their anthers have revealed their pollen. The pollen is ready to harvest when it appears dry and fluffy. But don't wait too long, or the bees will get it. When there's a daylily I really need pollen from, I go out early in the morning and cover the flower with a piece of fine mesh cloth, attached with a safety pin, to keep the bees off until the pollen is ripe.

3. Grasping a stamen, slide your thumb and forefinger up the filament, and pop the anther off into a contact lens case.

4. Set the open case in a room with good air circulation where it can dry for 24 hours before freezing it for long-term storage. Pollen kept at room temperature should remain viable for up to one week.

5. Close the case, and store it in the freezer in a ziploc bag. Additional dried pollen can be added to the same case on subsequent days, but don't let the frozen pollen thaw out. Return it immediately to the freezer. Frozen pollen should remain viable for up to nine years.

Here is a link that might be useful: pollen collection and storage
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deshima
Original Author
16 years ago
This fabtabulus, I think I will just pop over to my neighborhood optician/contact lens practitioner and get some of those cases & they shouldn't cost anything because they get them by the case for free. Wow forever I wish I lived that long maybe in a few years we will, if we live threw this fast global warming period.
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jspece
16 years ago
I use Microcentrifuge Tubes.

Lots of handy hybridizing supplies here:

Here is a link that might be useful: Microcentrifuge Tubes & Storage Boxes
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Long term storage of pollen

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maryann_____chgo

caliloo

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deshima
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Long term storage of pollen

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maryann_____chgo

caliloo

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