Hello, Reign
I store pollen for hybridizing in polypropylene
1.5 ml microcentrifuge tubes.
I fill the bottom of each tube with a small fluffy
cotton ball (100% cotton, not the poly type).
Photo: http://www.maysacres.com/
After collecting fresh pollen, I leave the tube
with the cap open overnight in the fridge
to allow the pollen to dry before freezing.
Allow frozen pollen to warm to room temperature
(takes 10 minutes or so) before using.
After using, you can refreeze the tube of pollen.
Heat and humidity reduce the viability
of fresh and stored pollen.
According to one study I have read about
the storage life of tomato pollen,
(reference:
http://tgc.ifas.ufl.edu/vol1/v1p11.html )
- unrefrigerated was viable for 3 days.
refrigerated was 50% viable for a month.
frozen produced fruit after a year in storage
(but the practical limit for seed production
appeared to be six months).
I purchased microcentrifuge tubes and
a small storage box from Earth Star Inc:
http://www.earthstarproducts.shoppin...m/catalog.html
Best wishes,
Star