I have to trap airborme pollen for a project. I have a battery-
powered blower (quite a high volume) but how should I trap the pollen
and apply it to the stamen?

One possibility to use a Dyson vacuum cleaner "root cyclone". It
"ought" to work for pollen of 20 - 25 microns diameter.

Another possibility is to trap the pollen NOT on a "HEPA" filter,
which is far too fine, but on one of the other filters which go with
Dysons - there is a confusing variety of them and some of them are
"washable" And wash the pollen off the filter using water with *very
little Fairy liquid* and put it onto the stamens.

Somehow, I twitch at that! But is this rational? Pollen can't be
killed by water. Surely, it will be OK?

Is there any knowledge of these things?

Michael Bell

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"Michael Bell" wrote in message
. uk...
I have to trap airborme pollen for a project. I have a battery-
powered blower (quite a high volume) but how should I trap the pollen
and apply it to the stamen?

One possibility to use a Dyson vacuum cleaner "root cyclone". It
"ought" to work for pollen of 20 - 25 microns diameter.

Another possibility is to trap the pollen NOT on a "HEPA" filter,
which is far too fine, but on one of the other filters which go with
Dysons - there is a confusing variety of them and some of them are
"washable" And wash the pollen off the filter using water with *very
little Fairy liquid* and put it onto the stamens.

Somehow, I twitch at that! But is this rational? Pollen can't be
killed by water. Surely, it will be OK?

Is there any knowledge of these things?

Michael Bell

Michael, I have always assumed that the process needs to be dry, but now you
have brought the subject up, I can't see why either, but before you waste a
lot of time and effort I should try and get a better opinion! I will ask
around for you.


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On Sun, 01 Feb 2015 12:14:07 +0100, Michael Bell
wrote:

Somehow, I twitch at that! But is this rational? Pollen can't be
killed by water. Surely, it will be OK?

Is there any knowledge of these things?

There are exceptions but in most species of plants, pollen must be
dry. The two common types of pollination won't work with wet grains.
Wind born pollen won't get far if it's wet. Insect born pollen won't
stick to the insect if it's wet.

If you have a hour or two to spare there is a very good article at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollination

Steve

--
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"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...

"Michael Bell" wrote in message
. uk...
I have to trap airborme pollen for a project. I have a battery-
powered blower (quite a high volume) but how should I trap the pollen
and apply it to the stamen?

One possibility to use a Dyson vacuum cleaner "root cyclone". It
"ought" to work for pollen of 20 - 25 microns diameter.

Another possibility is to trap the pollen NOT on a "HEPA" filter,
which is far too fine, but on one of the other filters which go with
Dysons - there is a confusing variety of them and some of them are
"washable" And wash the pollen off the filter using water with *very
little Fairy liquid* and put it onto the stamens.

Somehow, I twitch at that! But is this rational? Pollen can't be
killed by water. Surely, it will be OK?

Is there any knowledge of these things?

Michael Bell

Michael, I have always assumed that the process needs to be dry, but now
you have brought the subject up, I can't see why either, but before you
waste a lot of time and effort I should try and get a better opinion! I
will ask around for you.


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

OK Michael here are the responses I have had from two friends with a better
grasp of Botany than me.

"I think it depends on the genus.

Pollen suspension is commercial for pollinating date palms for example.

What genus is being asked about?"

"An interesting Genus, and there is academic work on it.

I think the issue in temperate climates is that the carrier liquid will not
evaporate off very fast and may interfere with stigma receptivity.

A quick 'Google Academic' search finds this paper
http://link.springer.com/article/10....:1003859030320
which will include details of how they did their controlled pollinations.

Now all your friend needs is a way to get hold of the whole paper!

And finally

"There is a second issue. Pollen of many species reacts badly to water.
Osmotic pressure swells the cells until they burst. Wouldn't it be easier to
collect dry pollen?"

Sorry about the black background but I can't seem to change it


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 01/02/2015 11:14, Michael Bell wrote:
I have to trap airborme pollen for a project. I have a battery-
powered blower (quite a high volume) but how should I trap the pollen
and apply it to the stamen?

One possibility to use a Dyson vacuum cleaner "root cyclone". It
"ought" to work for pollen of 20 - 25 microns diameter.

Another possibility is to trap the pollen NOT on a "HEPA" filter,
which is far too fine, but on one of the other filters which go with
Dysons - there is a confusing variety of them and some of them are
"washable" And wash the pollen off the filter using water with *very
little Fairy liquid* and put it onto the stamens.

Somehow, I twitch at that! But is this rational? Pollen can't be
killed by water. Surely, it will be OK?

Is there any knowledge of these things?

Michael Bell




Could you use a pooter, even the large type which is used by nervous
people for catching spiders? Water need not be involved.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/20455/Spid...150202155813:s

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 01/02/2015 11:14, Michael Bell wrote:
I have to trap airborme pollen for a project. I have a battery-
powered blower (quite a high volume) but how should I trap the pollen
and apply it to the stamen?

One possibility to use a Dyson vacuum cleaner "root cyclone". It
"ought" to work for pollen of 20 - 25 microns diameter.

Another possibility is to trap the pollen NOT on a "HEPA" filter,
which is far too fine, but on one of the other filters which go with
Dysons - there is a confusing variety of them and some of them are
"washable" And wash the pollen off the filter using water with *very
little Fairy liquid* and put it onto the stamens.

Somehow, I twitch at that! But is this rational? Pollen can't be
killed by water. Surely, it will be OK?

Is there any knowledge of these things?

Michael Bell

Try googling artificial pollination Alnus. What I find is

http://link.springer.com/article/10....:1003859030320

which is paywalled, but which I would expect would have something about
how the pollination was performed in a methods section.

There is apparently a copy available on ResearchGate, but you may need
to have an affiliation with an academic institution to sign up.

Elsewhere I find "Multiple important inter-specific hybrid taxa have
been/are being created by controlled pollination under greenhouse
conditions using the grafted scion approach". I interpret this as
grafting seed parent branches onto pollen parent trees and growing them
in enclosed conditions so that other pollen is excluded. (Alnus
glutinosa = and perhaps other alders - is self-incompatible.)

The book at


https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...0alder&f=false

gives some potentially useful references.