Hi,

I would like to try to make hand pollinisation and don't know how to store fresh polen. Do i have to let it dry and how, and what to do after, put it in the fridge or freezer?

Thanks for answering.

Au revoir.

Gilles06

Gilles,

After the pollen is totally dry and sifted from the flowers, the pollen can be stored in a 35MM plastic film canister and then frozen. Once the male flowers are dry they can be put on wax paper and crushed with a rolling pin to extract pollen.

Dick

Gilles,

After the pollen is totally dry and sifted from the flowers, the pollen can be stored in a 35MM plastic film canister and then frozen. Once the male flowers are dry they can be put on wax paper and crushed with a rolling pin to extract pollen.

Dick

Thank You Dick.

Hello Gilles,

To dry the pollen i use the tried and true, "Marks' redneck pollen cooking procedure"!!! I cut off the main stem

and put the flowers in paper bags and then in the truck they go for 2 days. The truck is not moved or opened and

positioned to where it gets full sun all day. You may need to cook for 3 days because you don't have the high temps

like we have here in Orlando. Merrill Wilcox has the method presice, but i don't have an oven that will go below 170f.

Below are the sifter tools that i use, crude, (redneck) but effective! Kitty not included!

Hi Mark,

Thank you for this practical method. When you put the flowers in the paper bag, are the flowers all opened?

What is your cat for?

Friendly.

Gilles06.

Hello Gilles,

I cut the inflorescence off the same day it opens, or as close to it as i can. The flowers are not open at this time and the heat will open them up. I sift it so that i don't have the dead flowers, just pollen. The container that you see to the right,,, i can get it about 1/3 full w/ my procedure!!! Not bad for a hairlip!!!!!!

I then pour the flowers/pollen into the sifter and the pollen falls into the container and you discard the dried/opened flowers.

I then freeze it and the pollen will remain viable up to a year! Viola!!!

The cat is on lizard patrol,, checking to make sure that the cinder block is secure!!!!

Mark

Hello Gilles,

I cut the inflorescence off the same day it opens, or as close to it as i can. The flowers are not open at this time and the heat will open them up. I sift it so that i don't have the dead flowers, just pollen. The container that you see to the right,,, i can get it about 1/3 full w/ my procedure!!! Not bad for a hairlip!!!!!!

I then pour the flowers/pollen into the sifter and the pollen falls into the container and you discard the dried/opened flowers.

I then freeze it and the pollen will remain viable up to a year! Viola!!!

The cat is on lizard patrol,, checking to make sure that the cinder block is secure!!!!

Mark

Thank you Mark, very instructive for me!

Friendly

Gilles06.

I have used the Mark Heath Custom Pollen Extraction Module a few time with great success.

One question I have is, how long is pollen good for in the fridge? Is it necessary to freeze it if you will be using it within a few weeks?

Matt

Hey Matt,

Merrill would be able to answer that. I allways put it in the freezer because that is what was written in Merrills' article.

I would imagine that it is fine to leave in the fridge for a short period. Cocos pollen i presume???

Matt,

I would imagine beause of it tropical nature that Cocos pollen would be best stored in a refigerator and not frozen, but I really don't know. I know that Partric can store Butia, Syagrus, Jubaea, Parajubaea and Butia X Jubaea in the freezer for up to a year and it's still viable, but probably not as viable if it were fresh. Thawing the pollen and then re-freezing it doesn't seem to hurt it.

Dick

I agree with the above. I want to reiterate that a plastic "baggie" is not the best item to use for storage. Moisture does get through the plastic eventually. A solid container like a glass jar with a clamp works fine. Film cannisters work and are small and don't take up space. If you bag a male flower and leave it on too long, it will rot and the whole thing will get funky. Therefore, removing the blossom and watching it is important.

Phil

Hey Matt,

Merrill would be able to answer that. I allways put it in the freezer because that is what was written in Merrills' article.

I would imagine that it is fine to leave in the fridge for a short period. Cocos pollen i presume???

That's the goods. Last year I stored Syagrus pollen for about a month in the fridge and got a very nice seed set from it.

Matt,

I would imagine beause of it tropical nature that Cocos pollen would be best stored in a refigerator and not frozen, but I really don't know. I know that Partric can store Butia, Syagrus, Jubaea, Parajubaea and Butia X Jubaea in the freezer for up to a year and it's still viable, but probably not as viable if it were fresh. Thawing the pollen and then re-freezing it doesn't seem to hurt it.

Dick

That's where I have the Cocos pollen for now, (in the fridge) as I imagine I should be able to pollinate my Butia in two weeks. I hope it works.

Matt

It isn't generally understood that complete dehydration of palm pollen kills the pollen, but that is the case. Don't take my word for it; the experts at the Coconut Board in Jamaica make this clear. It is difficult to control the moisture content of pollen within the limits of viability without pretty good lab equipment, but the methods below work pretty well:

http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-onlin...rticulture5.htm

Best Wishes,

merrill