Why Not Just Use the Anthers?

[Nan_PA_6b]

In all the instructions on how to cross-pollinate, one is instructed to shake or scrape the pollen off the anther to collect it, and take the pollen to the female.

Why not just take the anther to the female and rub the anther on it? Surely this gets the maximum pollen where you need it? Is there a drawback?

Nan

[Nan_PA_6b]

Is there anything wrong with just taking the whole anther to the female? It just seems removing the pollen from the anther gives you more intermediate steps for things to go wrong.

I've been using pollen still on the anther to try to cross pollinate. What is the advantage to removing the pollen from the anther?

TIA,
Nan

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

In all the instructions on how to cross-pollinate, one is instructed to shake or scrape the pollen off the anther to collect it, and take the pollen to the female.

Why not just take the anther to the female and rub the anther on it? Surely this gets the maximum pollen where you need it? Is there a drawback?

Nan

The anthers don't always open so the pollen isn't released. If you look closely at an tomato anther it looks vaguely like a plastic coin purse -- the two sides are rolled over the inner surface of the anther (where the pollen is).

(Other species of plants do fully expose the surface of the anther and your method then would work fine.)

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by Brent M

Sorry, just joining in. Why not emasculate 1 flower, use toothbrush to vibrate pollen from another flower onto dark lens, then back to the emasculated to rub the pollen on the stigma? Has worked very well for me every time.

Well when vibrating works, it can work really well, but when I started doing crosses, I had the problem that the variety I wanted as pollen donor often wouldn't give any pollen (multiple flowers). I don't know whether it was time of year, weather, or what. So I've gone another way and am generally happy with it.

My method: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=37724

[bower]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Is there anything wrong with just taking the whole anther to the female? It just seems removing the pollen from the anther gives you more intermediate steps for things to go wrong.

I've been using pollen still on the anther to try to cross pollinate. What is the advantage to removing the pollen from the anther?

TIA,
Nan

Nan, if it works for you, then it's fine nothing wrong with it.
Personally I find the emasculated flowers to be somewhat delicate. Just dragging the pistil through pollen I collected is a challenge and sometimes they get loose and the cross fails. So for me, trying to transfer pollen from a whole anther would be even more challenging.

It's interesting that pollen collection can be such an issue. It seems in my greenhouse the optimal time for pollen is between 11 am and 4 pm, and it can be difficult if the weather is humid too.
Also a flower may look mature to me but doesn't release any pollen. Another one slightly more mature gives lots of pollen. It's not that easy to judge. So if I was trying to lay an anther on an emasculated flower, I would have a hard time to know if it was even ready to release pollen unless I had already tapped it to collect pollen...

One thing that Tom Wagner recommended was to collect pollen from several flowers at one time, so you also have pollen at various stages of maturity.

So I think the usual practices are built on experience and are intended to maximize your chance of success.
But that doesn't mean that you can't have a successful cross using another method. It may just be more difficult and more failures along the way. JMO.

[Nan_PA_6b]

Actually, I'm not having success using the whole anther. I've been trying all summer to get a successful cross. Gotta start collecting pollen...

Nan

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Actually, I'm not having success using the whole anther. I've been trying all summer to get a successful cross. Gotta start collecting pollen...

Nan

Nan,

Even using my 'method' my results aren't always what I'd like. This year (and I did these late, so I may still get nothing), I did 5 crosses -- 3 on White Queen and 2 on Ozark Orange. These were mainly 'fun' crosses. I pollinated the White Queen blossoms 3 times over 3 days and the Ozark Orange over 2. Only 1 cross 'took' (one of the White Queens). Other years and times, I've had much better success rates (never 100%).

BTW, one reason I store the tomato pollen in the fridge is that it extends the life of the pollen. Not all pollen can survive very long, but the nightshade family generally has durable pollen. In theory it should be viable the whole tomato season.

Good luck on your future crosses.