Sprekelia howardii
J.E. Shields (Thu, 29 Jun 2006 09:12:49 PDT)
I think I may detect a trace of confusion here.
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)
At 08:25 AM 6/29/2006 -0700, you wrote:
On Wednesday, June 28, 2006, at 05:54 PM, <sussli@netscape.com> wrote:
I was absolutely dumbfounded by your post where you describe that you
microwave any pollen collected for 20 seconds before storing it in the
refrigerator for future use.........
The method was recommended to me. I had nothing to lose, so I tried it.
More later if it works.
Doug
*************************************************
Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA