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Nj

Is it possable to store AG pollen in the freezer, like you can with other plants?

Thank you
John

4/11/2004 10:49:21 PM

Greencastle, PA

apparently so.

4/12/2004 4:36:47 PM

Norton, MA

I froze some from some test seeds this morning. I'll see if it works on a cull this season. Alex.

4/12/2004 6:13:19 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

I've heard of limited storage but never any extended period of time...and never from from anything but male flowers....I'm missing something in the posts here.

4/12/2004 7:10:14 PM

Syracuse, NY

if i ever find a female AG blossom with pollen already on it, i'm gonna run away from it! especially since i
tie-up the flowers the night before! 'course, i could really be onto something, there.....

4/12/2004 7:34:17 PM

Nj

Pumpkinpal, if that were to happen, I would probably not use the seeds, they will be constantly selfed, no genetic diversity. What I was thinking is, maybe, if it can be saved for long periods of time, maybe someone can open up a pollen bank or something?

John

4/12/2004 7:50:42 PM

John, doesn't Jill store pollen in the freezer? Maybe you should ask her.

4/13/2004 10:46:19 PM

Nj

actually no, but she is going to try it... :)

4/13/2004 11:14:37 PM

Commack, NY

oh brother........

4/14/2004 8:46:40 AM

Syracuse, NY

yeah, i was kinda joking, as usual, about the self-pollinating flower,
but i do like the
idea of having a pollen bank---i mean if i'm growing the 845 '00 and want to make the 801.5 the pollinator, and no one i know of is growing it in the area, well FedEx me some
pollen, Mister! that'd be really cool. literally cool;

i know that Lincoln Mettler had stored a large quantity of pollen, very properly mind you, in a metal tank that had to be replenished with liquid nitrogen from time to time.
that's as far as anyone has gone with this topic that i have HEARD of, anyway............

4/14/2004 12:54:12 PM

Nj

Well, with the other plants I know of... you just take the pollen, on the anther, put it in the freezer till you need it, I don't think you need NE liquid Nitrogen. This is what I am experimenting now, with my test pumpkin in the greenhouse, that just opened it's first male flowers. I see a tiny female so in a few weeks I should know if I can store pollen in the freezer or not :) I hope it works, I would think a pollen bank would be almost as important as a seed bank

John

4/14/2004 1:16:41 PM

Sauk City Wisconsin

I froze some pollen last year but I didnt do it rite.I do still have it though. I found out that if your going to try and freez some in a normal freezer you should put it in the bottom of a chest freezer. Let males dry out indors untill the pollen will easly fall off.If there is to much water present the thawing prosses will hurt it. fold a peice of paper in half and brush or shake the pollen into the fold. Dump the pollen into a film canister.If your going to try and keep your pollen till the next season It would make sense to use 5 to 10 males worth of pollen or more to pollinate 1 female the next season because you know some of the pollen will die. this should work but not as good as with the liquid nitrogen. I'm going test out my pollen from last year that I left on the flower and froze when it was fresh but I dont think its going to work. OK I'll shut up for now........PS....A pollen bank would be sweet!

4/15/2004 12:56:36 AM