Storing pollen for later...

[susbees]

There's loads of interesting tree pollens I want to look at later on in the year (modules in a fortnight...urghh) but what's the best way to store them either on the plant or shaken into some liquid or other, frozen/fridge/ambient?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would make up semipermanent slides in glycerin jelly with the cover slip ringed with nail varnish to seal it.

 

[Ruary]

There's loads of interesting tree pollens I want to look at later on in the year (modules in a fortnight...urghh) but what's the best way to store them either on the plant or shaken into some liquid or other, frozen/fridge/ambient?

If you don't have time to make up slides as Eric suggested, I have kept pollen in a suitable condition for over a year by placing the pollen onto a smear of glyverine jelly. (The smear needs to be very thin and so make a smear on one slide and then dab that smear with a finger-tip and smear onto a second slide. (you can make several of these smear from a smear slides from the one original slide). Label it so you know which side the smear is on (blank label obviosly).Touch the ripe anthers onto the smear on the second slide.

You can also store from pressed flowers or in alcohol (isopropyl)
Ruary

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Ruary,
I have pollen grains from 5/6 years ago which have been stored in a specimin bottle with IPA added to cover all the pollen grains . in doing this the grains have held the correct configureation with no distortion what so ever. Hope that helps. Don't forget to lable the jars accordingly.

Mo.

 

[bee-live]

Doesn't IPA dehydrate the polen and change it shape?

 

[Bcrazy]

bee-live
Hi my friend, the short sharp answer to your question is NO it does not.
The IPA descales the pollen grain by removing the wax caoting that help protects the grain but it certainly does not alter its shape in any way.
The only way to have different shapes of the same pollen grain sample is if they are immature pollen grains.

Mo

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi bee-live
I might have been a bit quick off the mark when i said that IPA does not distort the shape of pollen grains . What you might be thinking about is when the pollen grains can become distorted after they have been through a process of cleansing and separation from the earth samples they came from. Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) is initially added to the the amount of sediment to help break it down. Prolonged boiling should be avoided as this could result in the grains of pollen becoming misshaped.
If there has been an abundance of calcium carbonate in the sediment , as in the case of tefa or lake marls, analysis of pre-Quaternary sediments with a largely inorganic matrix is also better commenced with HYDROCHLORIC ACID (HCF) followed by HYDROFLUORIC ACID (HF) and then (KOH) digestion. This will cause erosion of the pollen wall.

Mo

 

[susbees]

Thanks for the IPA info. Will give it a go. After Saturday can start to get sorted for the microscopy workshops at Harper Adams.

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi susbees

Can you tell me a little more about Harper Adams microscopy workshop. Where is it being held and who is running it?
Thank you
Mo