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Black Walnut Pollen Storage and Germination

Controlled pollination in forest trees often necessitates pollen storage for long periods. Early studies at Purdue University on black walnut pollen storage techniques demonstrated that refrigerator storage without dessication provides successful short-term storage (l to 3 weeks), and later studies showed that storage in liquid nitrogen for several years was possible. Pollen germination of 24 clones revealed that germination of fresh pollen was 31.5% compared with 29.8% for pollen stored one year in liquid nitrogen. Germination fell to 23.1% and 13.3% respectively following two and three-year-storage. Pollen from the few clones available for germination tests after four,five, and six years storage in liquid nitrogen tested 58, 51, and 54% respectively. Pollen stored in liquid nitrogen for one year affected successful controlled pollinations with seed set and seed germination percentages as high as that obtained from fresh pollen.


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Author(s): Walter F. Bieneke, Charles J. Masters, Stephen G. Pennington

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1977

Section: Session 5: Miscellaneous