# Pollination questions



## Hien (Mar 5, 2008)

I wonder about these below:
-Someone mentions in this forum that one can use honey to make the pollen stick to the stigma. My question is does the honey draw water away, thus making the stigma part drying-up & wilting faster? (I saw the stigma dry up the next day with honey)
-Will the sugar in the honey feed the pollen to make it grows the tube faster down toward the ovaries, will it give the sperm energy via sugar to reach the target better?
-Does each grain grows one tube, & each tube only fertilizes one ovule, making one seed?
-If each grain only makes one tube, how many tubes actually grows into the pod to make millions of seeds?
-Does the ph of the honey affect the process? confuses the pollen grain to where the tube should grow into?
-How fast does these tube grow? How long does the stigma part have to remain on the flower (not falling off) for the tubes to grow down? because I think, if it drops too fast, the tube may not reach beyond the juncture where the flower separate from the pod.


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## NYEric (Mar 5, 2008)

Kinky!


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## Rick (Mar 5, 2008)

I've never heard of using honey. Paph pollen is usually sticky enough without help, but sometimes pollen stored in the fridge for extended periods can get a bit dry.

Some phrag pollen I've played with (fresh) has also not been too sticky. In this cases I mist a bit of distilled water onto the stigma, and that seems to help.

Who ever's been using honey should chime in.


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## paphreek (Mar 5, 2008)

In a similar vein, I've heard of using the sap that collects on Cattleya spikes to stick grainy pollen like armeniacum. Haven't done it myself, though.


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## benilaca (Apr 4, 2008)

If use dry-stored pollens, use tip if paper clip to add small amount of distilled water to revive them. Pollenate flower on the 3 > 6 dayth of opening when pouch is still soft. Move it aside (try not to break the pouch. it protect grains from being blown away by wind/ air movements), use small pin head or tip of finger nail, press pollen grains directlt into the center (at the 3 ways cross) bottom of the column. Cells combine & divide; hence, only a tiny amount is needed to produce thousand of seeds. Depend on how receptive the mother plant is, 1 grain can produce a few seeds or few thousands seeds. Paph. have long maturation periods and can give hundred of thousands to millions.
b.


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## Leo Schordje (Apr 4, 2008)

I have used honey in the past - 1990 to 1994, made a bunch of besseae crosses. I still use it if I am trying to use old pollen to cross flowers that are not in bloom at the same time. Seems to work, most of my hybrid registrations were in the 1992 to 1998 time period. But that too is when I had a contract good lab to use. 

Do not know the answer to the rest of your questions. A set of questions worthy of a university researh grant. 
Leo


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## NYEric (Apr 4, 2008)

Oh yeah! Besseae hybrids, honey, a college grant, and college girls again!! :drool:


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## Candace (Apr 4, 2008)

> I've heard of using the sap that collects on Cattleya spikes to stick grainy pollen like armeniacum



I wouldn't do that for contamination/virus concerns. 

I must admit I just use a little of my spit:>


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## rdlsreno (Apr 6, 2008)

I never heard of using honey. That is interesting!

Just a note all parvi has a dry and powdery mass of pollen where as the other paphs are sticky.


Ramon


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## Corbin (Apr 9, 2008)

NYEric said:


> Oh yeah! Besseae hybrids, honey, a college grant, and college girls again!! :drool:



Well we know were your mind is.oke:


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## NYEric (Apr 9, 2008)

I'm just a guy.


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