HYB: Pollen Daubing
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: HYB: Pollen Daubing
- From: S* M* <7*@compuserve.com>
- Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 10:35:59 -0600 (MDT)
John I. Jones wrote:
> If I remember my botany correctly, process of the pollen reacting to
being on
> the stigmatic lip, and sending down the pollen tubes is very fast, on
the
> order of seconds. Is this true for irises? The importance here being
that once
> you put the pollen grains on the lip should you be very careful to not=
disturb
> them further (e.g., putting a second daub of pollen on the same stigma=
=2E
No, it may take several hours. =
It helps to actually see this process.
1. Select a sacrificial flower.
2. Peel apart a fresh style arm, just
to see what it looks like.
3. Pollinate the other two.
4. Peel one of the apart after about
an hour and examine it with a
magnifying glass.
5. Do the same with the third about
two hours after pollination.
You should be able to see the pollen
tubes.
> Second question: A while back we were talking about bees or other
insects
> corrupting a cross by putting other pollen on a flower after an
artificial
> cross. My question is how soon after a pollination occurs does an iris=
change
> the chemistry of its stamen to prevent further pollinating? If only on=
e
stamen
> is pollinated, do all of the stamens become non-receptive.
It doesn't change chemistry to prevent
pollination. In fact, an old trick for =
getting takes from wide crosses is to
first spread compatible pollen that has
been killed by immersion in alcohol,
then the desired viable pollen. =
The juices of the stigmatic lip support
the growth of pollen tubes, however,
so that the lip dries out much faster if
it has been pollinated.
> Third question: How many grains of pollen are in one of the little
pollen
> balls that you can see with the naked eye on the anther (well, in my
case it
> is with the help of reading glasses)? I have been told it is hundreds.=
Kinda depends on the size of the =
"ball" which depends on the age of
the pollen and the humidity. [Time
to think about springing for that
microscope, John.]
> Where on the lip should you put the pollen? Right on the edge of the t=
op
> (back) side or as far down in where the stigmatic lip joins the stigma=
?
As far back in the crease as I can
get it without damaging the flower,
but spread out -- not lumped.
Gently close the lip and hold it for
a few seconds. This creates a
seal that protects it from your
insect competitors.
Sharon McAllister
73372.1745@compuserve.com
