Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 7:54 (article
24) 1984
Use of n-Pentane for Mixing Melon Pollen
Risser, Georgette and J.C. Rode
I.N.R.A., Centre de Recherches Agronomiques d'Avignon, 84140
Montfavet, France
Hand pollination of a melon flower with a mixture of pollen from
several plants is difficult because melon pollen is sticky and
aggregates. Our objective was to find a non-toxic solvent that
could be used to wash and mix pollen from anthers of several
plants for subsequent use in pollination.
In 1981, several solvents were tried without success, but in 1983
good results were obtained with n-pentane which had been reported
to be useful for collecting Berberis pollen (1).
Pollen is washed from anthers and mixed with pollen from other
plants by washing anthers in a watchglass filled with n-pentane.
The pollen grains settle to the bottom of the glass, and the n-
pentane evaporates very quickly.
We have used pollen collected in n-pentane up to 2.5 hr after
collecting and had good fruit set and seed set. In 1984, we will
determine how long muskmelon pollen is suitable for pollination
after collecting in n-pentane.
Literature Cited
- Cadic, A. 1982. Pollinasation et incompatibilité
interspécifique dans le genere Berberis. Le
Sélectionneur Francais 30:37-43.
