Sprekelia howardii "success"?
Doug Westfall (Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:19:49 PDT)
On Friday, June 30, 2006, at 09:40 AM, <sussli@netscape.com> wrote:
The microwaved pollen is surely dead and completely infertile. However,
the dead pollen's surface proteins or polysaccharides are still there,
and
they are what one hopes will trigger the proper responses in the
stigma to
allow fertilization by other pollen, not microwaved, that is then
applied
to the stigma.
You mix compatible but dead pollen with live pollen that would
otherwise be
rejected by the stigma. This way you get no unwanted hybrids mixed in
with
your seeds.
Clear as mud?
Jim Shields
in central Indiana (USA)
I'd like to thank those who recommended this system. I have tried it
using Sprekelia 'Orient Red' pollen which I microwaved as instructed,
and mixed it with the S. howardii pollen. We left on a 2 week
"vacation". Upon our return today, we have a "swollen" seed pod. Now we
must wait to see if this pod contains seeds.
I have taken pictures and will be trying the germinating system used
for Hippeastrum seeds unless advised otherwise.
Doug