Pollen preservation - any ideas?
 

:hello

Does anybody know how to preserve pollinia so it can be used later in a cross? I'm asking because I've got a couple plants I'm considering for a cross (Masd. rechingeriana which is in bud :), and either Masd. triangularis or tovarensis. I've yet to make up my mind :blushing:), but they won't be flowering at the same time, so I'm hoping there's some way I can save the pollinia from one for a little while until the other flowers.

Thanks for any and all ideas!

I use a clean new toothpick to remove the pollen and then place it in a 2 inch square piece of paper towel which has been folded in half. I then place it in a new clean snack size ziplock bag which I label with a sharpie marker and store in the fridge. I have used pollen stored in this manner after as long as two years with good results.

Good tip, thanks Rodcuda. I did not think it could be stored for very long.

I cut the sticky part off of a Post-it note, fold it in half, lay the pollinia in the crease (with a pair of tweezers), and fold it closed to seal it temporarily. I then label it, and fold it in a piece of shipping tape, to seal it. Using the Post-it adhesive helps hold the pollinia in place, because they are really easy to lose.

Thanks for the tips, Rodcuda and Jasen! I like your idea about the post-it notes, the best I could come up with was cutting a whole bunch of little paper envelopes, which'd take forever. This'll be a real time saver!

i take a 3x5 c ard fold n half cres sides label put n card file box & store n crisper drawer of frig dont put n freezer cause frozen pollen 1 thawed has to b used imediatly then no good so store n frig