Pollen storage

[Pippin]

How do you store pollen and for how long?
I had mixed results in storing pollen at 40 F (4 C) over a saturated calcium chloride solution.

[maitaman]

Make a simple dessicator out of a wide-mouthed jar and use CaCl (DAMP-RID) as a dehydration medium with water. This will dry the seeds safely, then store in the refrigerator for as much as a year. Same with seeds.

[newflasker]

Originally Posted by Pippin

How do you store pollen and for how long?
I had mixed results in storing pollen at 40 F (4 C) over a saturated calcium chloride solution.

A pouch of silica gel (in candy jars and electronic parts) can absorb moisture. No solution, no mess up.

[camille1585]

I agree, silica gel is a good way. And here's my Last year during my internship at a seed company, we would dehydrate pollen by putting them in the oven for 2 hours at 37°C. After that we would freeze it in liquid nitrogen or a -80°C freezer, but I think a normal freezer would work just fine, or even the fridge. The viability of the pollen is still quite good after this. I don't know how long it can be kept.

[maitaman]

Be careful with some of these driers. You want to maintain a certain moisture in the seeds. Supersaturated CaCl in water gives the optimum result - so long as the area temperature is around 70 degrees F. The vegetable crisper in the frig is perfect for storage for a year (or more?).

[Pippin]

70 F ??? That's the temperature in my house. I kept the pollen in a desiccator over saturated Ca Cl solution in a small refrigerator (I have a small 2.5 cft refrigerator that I use to keep my seeds, media and other orchid related stuff) at 40 F. For most species that's fine, but for some the results are not that great. Specially when I tap into the 1 year mark(the plant that I want to be the pod parent just misses the blooming of the plant that I want to be the pollen parent)

[maitaman]

You will do better to put the dessicated seed in a sealed vial. I don't recommend leaving it with CaCl solution. I've saved pollen for more than 18 months with good "take" - and some not.I dessicate the pollen and wrap it in toilet paper, then put it in the vial for refrigeration.

[Pippin]

It looks like you had mixed results to. Maybe not all kinds of pollen can be stored for so long.