saving pollen? is it possible?

muffin · October 15, 2012

I am wondering if I can harvest and save pollen from flowering plants, the same way I save daylily pollen...I know I can harvest it and freeze when it is dried, can I do this with potatoes? Then I could cross at different times if blooms happen at different times.... Just wondering...

**Tom Wagner** · October 16, 2012

I stagger my potato tuber planting over a four month period here in Washington...April, May, June, and July and that provides me with ample pollen to use in breeding. Precious few potato varieties lend themselves to being good female candidates for crossing and even few pollen parents. This year my best pollen parents were Skagit Plenty, Boyd Dude, and Finn Bad.

I have frozen pollen before and placed the pollen in gel caps that you can buy in stores. The trick is to dry to pollen well before freezing. I have had variable luck with it and I just can't recommend it...but try it.

Most professional use special drying temps and procedures and place the pollen in glass tubes and use liquid nitrogen. I will never get that sophisticated. I suppose that pollen would be good for two years or so.

Pollen (fresh) could be shipped to folks using two day delivery spans.

October 15, 2012	#1
muffin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 8	saving pollen? is it possible? I am wondering if I can harvest and save pollen from flowering plants, the same way I save daylily pollen...I know I can harvest it and freeze when it is dried, can I do this with potatoes? Then I could cross at different times if blooms happen at different times.... Just wondering...

October 16, 2012	#2
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	I stagger my potato tuber planting over a four month period here in Washington...April, May, June, and July and that provides me with ample pollen to use in breeding. Precious few potato varieties lend themselves to being good female candidates for crossing and even few pollen parents. This year my best pollen parents were Skagit Plenty, Boyd Dude, and Finn Bad. I have frozen pollen before and placed the pollen in gel caps that you can buy in stores. The trick is to dry to pollen well before freezing. I have had variable luck with it and I just can't recommend it...but try it. Most professional use special drying temps and procedures and place the pollen in glass tubes and use liquid nitrogen. I will never get that sophisticated. I suppose that pollen would be good for two years or so. Pollen (fresh) could be shipped to folks using two day delivery spans.