Re: Pollinating Amorphophallus konjac

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2000.03.01 at 04:18:14(4126) Dear Don, A few quick tips-- Pollen is 'good' as soon as it is shed, use a paint brush (fine squirrel hair will work) moistened in clean water to pollenate with, a dry one to 'sweep' it from the spathe to a glassene envelope, and it will 'keep' in the fridge for several days. Pollenate the female portion (cut away or cut 'windows' in the spathe to get at it) as the spathe begins to open, wrap the spathe in a layer of saran wrap with a bit of wet cotton wool in it for a day to keep humidity high, then take it off. Good luck!! Julius +More P.S. I THINK that A. konjac is one species that sets seed without pollenation!!! >For the first time, I will have 2 non-clonal A. konjac blooming very close (in time) to one another and I would like to attempt pollination. I've reviewed the pollination site at IAS ,(http://www.aroid.org/pollination/index.html) and have learned that on any particular flower of Amorphophallus (A. johnsonii was the example they used), the stigmas of the female flowers will be receptive on the first day of flowering, but the pollen of the male flowers is not released until the second day, but by this time the females are unreceptive. Thus, what I'll have to do is to wait until the pollen is ready on the first plant to bloom (assuming they don't flower simultaneously) then pollinate the second plant to bloom on the first day of blooming - the day the female flowers are receptive. Does this seem likely to work? What should I use to transfer the pollen (a Q-tip?) and how long will the pollen be viable after harvest? Is there any good guide as to when the pollen is actually ready? Off to take a cold shower now. -- Don Martinson Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mailto:llmen@execpc.com<

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