We are running three weeks ahead so that pollination season is beginning when I haven’t yet finished germinating embryos from last season. I’m ready for it, though, having stocked up on pollens for use with the first bloomers like moyesii, omiensis and the hulthemias.
Having taken out some Joycie pollen from the freezer to do the first pollinations today, on Sericea, I am now wondering whether to leave out the packet or put it back in the freezer until it is needed again in a week or so.
Has anyone established a best practice for managing frozen pollens?
Thanks, Natalie. I did read that discussion when it occurred but I still have some questions.
The average amateur will, like me, be working with equipment and materials at hand. My freezer can get only get down to -8° F and we leave the auto-defrost cycle turned on so as not to lose track of the waffles and chicke breasts. I could purchase drierite by mail order but silica gel is less dusty, easier to recharge and can be had at the local craft store. My pollen, once dried, goes into 2" x 3" resealable poly-bags rather than micro-centrifuge tubes. The baggies get put into disposable type food container in the freezer.
When the time comes I take the baggie out of the food container, which stays in the freezer so the other pollens do not thaw. After use I put the baggie in the fridge at 4° F but I would stick it back in the freezer if I knew it was the better thing to do.
Do you know of any studies on pollen viability as a function of drying agent, storage temperature/time and repeated freeze/thaw cycles?
Sorry it’s taken so long to respond…I’ve been traveling again!
Personally, I don’t think the type of drying agent you use will make a big difference. As long as it performs it’s function (pulling water away from your pollen) then it shouldn’t matter what brand you use.
For the current season, I actually store the pollen in a fridge/freezer combo that does have the defrost cycle function. It’s just the long term storage that I prefer the non-cycling type of freezer. (And remember, it’s just my opinion. I have no idea if it really affects the quality of pollen or not.)
Let’s see…articles that deal with pollen storage…
S. Gudin, L. Arene and C. Bulard. 1991. ‘Influence of season on rose pollen quality.’ Sexual Plant Reproduction 4:113-117.
Yoshihiro Ueda and Masaki hirata. 1989. ‘Pollen fertility in roses.’ Jap. J. Palynol. 35(2)1-7.
T. Visser, D. P. de Vries, G. W. H. Welles and J. A. M. Scheurink. 1977. ‘Hybrid tea-rose pollen. I. Germination and storage.’ Euphytica 26:721-728.
T. Visser, D. P. de Vries, J. A. M. Scheurink and G. W. H. Welles. 1977. ‘Hybrid tea rose pollen. II. Inheritance of pollen viability.’ Euphytica 26:729-732.
Mary Ann Wohlers, Raul Peimbert and Dennison Morey. 1962. ‘Factors Influencing Seed Production in Hybrid Roses.’ American Rose Annual 47:103-109
I haven’t read most of these in many years and there are a few I have not read at all…so they may not all help you out.
I’m sure there are several more articles out there, these are just the ones I could find without to much research…
Does everyone agree with what was previously discussed in this thread. Is it okay to refreeze pollen after use? Do you need to dry the unused pollen again?