Pollen-handling protocol and hydration/dehydration characteristics of pollen for application to long-term storage

Summary The National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, is investigating pollen storage as a practical means for storing germplasm of clonally-held species. Careful regulation of pollen moisture content is necessary to safely store pollens and perform accurate in vitro germination tests. A series of dehydration and hydration curves were generated for Pinus ponderosa Dough. ex P. Laws., Picea pungens Engelm., and Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch pollens using five saturated salt solutions and water. Equilibrium moisture contents (EMCs) were also determined for Typha latifolia L., Phoenix dactylifera L., Corylus avellana L., and Zea mays L. Although rates of dehydration and hydration, and EMC varied with salt, pollen, and temperature, the pollens tested did survive the drying procedures and could successfully be stored in liquid nitrogen.Abbreviations NSSL - National Seed Storage Laboratory - EMC - Equilibrium Moisture Content - LN - Liquid Nitrogen