Pollen preservation?

[Spaventa]

Those who keep pollen… Is preserving and storing pollen long term viable as an alternative to keeping the male plant itself? If sufficient pollen was stored properly, how long might it keep? And how do you do it?
I’m considering this for males I find in regular seeds. I have no immediate plans to breed but if I can throw this stuff in the freezer and use it in a couple of years time maybe, that would be great. I just haven’t got resources to hold males I will likely never use. Thoughts? Thanks

 

[Hmong]

I just haven’t got resources to hold males I will likely never use. Thoughts?

then get used to having packets in the freezer, that you will likely never use.

It works, but I can't speak on shelf life, because that's very individual.
if you do everything well, it can be good for several years.

I store in batches of globuli vials, so I have many small units ready to use.

very important to never open/use directly out of the freezer, you will have a ton of condensation in an instant.

 

[I Care]

I soak up this info here and there. Someone here said most viable within 7 months in the freezer then the viability starts to degrade from from there indefinitely.

 

[_ross_]

how long might it keep?

My current record, from collection to use, is 3 years and 3 days.

And how do you do it?

1. get a small mason jar. I like the 4oz Ball jars.
2. activate(nuke in the microwave) a desiccant packet.
3. Tape the desiccant to the jar lid so that when it's put on the desiccant will dangle down into the jar.
4. Take the glass jar, some type of poker device( I use a kebab skewer since that's what I have), place the jar under the open pollen sac, and gently tap the sac with the poker. The pollen will fall into the jar. Don't worry about getting the sac in the jar I don't think it makes much of a difference, however it's probably best to minimize the sacs collected.
5. Once you have collected the amount you desire place the lid on the jar, wrap it in aluminum foil, use a permanent marker to write on the foil the name of the strain and the date collected.
6. Place in the back of a freezer, I use the one in my kitchen so nothing special, and wait for when the time comes that you need it.

I like to have many smaller collections so that when I eventually use it I only have to open one up to access the pollen.

 

[Spaventa]

Brilliant! That so helpful, all of you, thanks
This completely solves my dilemma.

 

[Sanjuro]

Keep pollen in 1,5ml platic vials in a freezer for long time storage. 50 to 100 pieces wont cost much via aliexpress

Put some silica gel in the vials along the pollen to keep it dry.(re-use silica gel out of desiccant bags that come with various products) + wrap the vial in clean film and tape it shut. . Then into the freezer in air tight plastic containers.

If the pollen stays dry and frozen the whole time you will be able to use it a decade later to make seeds