Re: HYB: Applying Pollen
From: Gullo <tgf@frontiernet.net>
Hi Sharon,
I'll have to dust off the old B&L microscope and take a look this spring.
I would be interested to see what the pollen looks like after it has burst.
Does it burst in such a way that one can be certain that it is no longer
viable? As I mentioned my reason for questioning this assumption is the fact
that I have had takes on plants using rain soaked pollen. Could it be that the
bursting of the pollen is simply the outer casing being removed leaving the
pollen still viable? Still think it needs further examining. It can be quite
frustrating to have a cross in mind and have the rain beat you to the flowers.
Past experience has shown that it is still worth trying the cross whether the
pollen is wet or not. It is generally held that a moist stigmatic lip is
essential for a cross to take and conversely that a dry lip will not set a
pod. Could it not be that the moisture is crucial because it makes the pollen
burst? Hence the need for a moist stigmatic lip or added spit. Food for
thought.
Have a nice one.
Michael Gullo
West Walworth, New York, USA
zone 6
Sharon McAllister wrote:
>
>
> It depends on how long the pollen has been wet.
>
> Using saliva to moisten a toothpick, so that pollen will adhere to it
> better for transfer to the stigmatic lip DOES seem to improve the success
> rate.
>
> Sprinkling dry pollen onto a drop of water to prepare a microscope slide is
> quite educational. At first, the grains swell, which gives a good view of
> both quality and ploidy. Eventually, though, the pollen grains burst --
> and are no longer viable.
>
> So my advice is to use wet pollen ASAP if it's important to your program --
> and invest in a student microscope if you're serious about hybridizing. It
> has many other uses....
>
> Sharon McAllister
> 73372.1745@compuserve.com
>
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