Pollen collection for hot days

[Mantis]

Just wondering if it would be feasible to collect pollen when the temps are right and store it to pollinate flowers when the heat kicks in??
Not sure if this would work or if the pollen would denature as soon as it is taken out in the heat.

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Mantis

Just wondering if it would be feasible to collect pollen when the temps are right and store it to pollinate flowers when the heat kicks in??
Not sure if this would work or if the pollen would denature as soon as it is taken out in the heat.

Tomato sperm bank?

dcarch

[melody]

Lots of other folks with non-tomato..(*gasp*) gardens save pollen on a regular basis. The daylily folks do it all the time...they'll save pollen from an early bloomer and pollinate a late bloomer by keeping it in the freezer. Multiplies their hybridizing options manyfold.

Brugmansia (angel's trumpets) growers trade pollen all the time. They can get around the phyto cert required from across the pond by sending pollen only.

Dr. Carolyn will have to be the one to comment on the viability of tomato pollen in the situation you're describing, but I think it can be saved...just how much pollination you'd get from it is out of my league.

[Star]

The Storing Pollen post in the Crosstalk section
might be helpful.

Star

http://www.tomatoville.com/viewtopic.php?t=1219

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Mantis

Just wondering if it would be feasible to collect pollen when the temps are right and store it to pollinate flowers when the heat kicks in??
Not sure if this would work or if the pollen would denature as soon as it is taken out in the heat.

Fascinating topic, and I do hope you work with it a bit to see what happens.

From what I understand (and experience/observation tells me), duration of heat matters. Denaturing of pollen does not occur instantly when temps are in the 90's (fahrenheit) and such. It takes a couple to even several days to completely destroy the pollen at those ranges.

[Mantis]

I will give it a try this coming spring/summer. I can get a lot of pollen from the plants in the greenhouse mid to late morning usually. I haven't stored pollen before but just tapped it out onto my finger then dabbed it on other receptive flowers. I am the only bee in my patch as the buzzing kind don't come here for some reason.
Thanks for the link Star. I just got around to reading it. Answers my question on how to store the pollen.