Storing Pollen

[Reign]

I'm not clear on storing pollen for future use. If anyone has links to good info or white papers feel free to refer me. Most of the sites I'm finding aren't addressing my questions. I have a zillion questions. Top two are...


Can I use a home freezer to store the pollen in wax paper envelopes or plastic tubes?
Is it fair for me to assume that pollen I collect towards the end of this season can be stored and used next season?

[Love2Troll]

It's a pdf file so would need Acrobat Reader or similar to access: http://www.avrdc.org/LC/tomato/seedhybrid.pdf

Go to page #4

[Star]

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