Pollen Collecting & Hybridizing Pictorial?

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marriedtomud
Posts: 178
Joined: Aug 05, 2005 9:16 pm
Location: Michigan

Pollen Collecting & Hybridizing Pictorial?

Post by marriedtomud »

Hi all

Might be a tough go but thought I'd put this question
out and see what responses I can get.

Would anyone that hybridizes happen to have a pictorial
of thier methods for
1. Collecting & storing pollen
2. The actual pollen to stigma fertilization process

Do you cover flower after? Do you remove stigma...if
so when?

Curtis/m2m
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DBoweMD
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Joined: Dec 11, 2003 2:27 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio
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Post by DBoweMD »

I made up a presentation about this for Hiram College Alumni science day last year. I can post some of them if you like.

I don't think my freezing /storage system is good enough, mostly because there is ice in the test tubes, therefore too much moisture when I put them in. I probably need to dry it some before freezing.

When pollinating outdoor plants I cover the scapes the night before with a plastic bag (to keep bees away), the ones they put newspapers in work well.
When I pollinate I remove the anthers with pollen to prevent bees coming in and adding "self" pollen, sometimes I remove them before I pollinate so I don't accidentally knock self pollen onto the pistil/stigma.
I remove the petals afterward so bees don't easily identify the flower (but some still figure it out) and they are less likely to touch the pistil/stigma with their body.

This year I did quite a bit of my crossing indoors. With enough light from a southern exposure it works well on many varieties. Some cultivars are stubborn, probably need more light or fertilizer or water.
marriedtomud
Posts: 178
Joined: Aug 05, 2005 9:16 pm
Location: Michigan

Post by marriedtomud »

Right on the money Dave. I'd like very much to see
the lecture pics. Good info as always....thanks.

Curtis/m2m
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