I heard contact-lens solution mixed with pollen may trigger pollination. Apparently the professionals are doing this with Paphs. Anybody here heard anything about this?
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I heard contact-lens solution mixed with pollen may trigger pollination. Apparently the professionals are doing this with Paphs. Anybody here heard anything about this?
Yes I have heard of this as well. From what I have read, there are proteins on the outside of the pollinia packet that helps to prevent self pollination (and therefore limiting the genetic diversity of that particular colony I suppose). Using the lense cleaner that has an enzymatic cleaner supposedly helps to break down these protiens to encourage pollination. But there is an alternative to stealing your significant others' (in my case) lense cleaner...something really cheap...free even...work up a good wad fo spit and let the pollinia soak in that for a little bit (ok...I know, gross!). Saliva also has enzymes in it that break down protiens...a little "pre-digestion" if you will.
I don't know the first thing about pollination, but saliva only contains amylase, which breaks down simple sugars. It does not digest protein. Now if you were to puke on the pollen after eating, you might get some pepsin in there from the stomach. pH is kind of low though.
I don't think I'll go that far to have my cross take.
Spitting? Puking?? No wonder I never got in to breeding (along with the fact that I doubt I could ever keep a sterile environment of any size). Hope to see some of your crosses though.
I'll have to ask the chemist of the house about this . . . as soon as she wakes up . . .
Lucky you, you have a chemistOriginally Posted by Sue
I have an optician
The spit thing was in a book I read, which of course doesn't mean take it as gospel truth...I was only reciting what I read.
A friend of mine picked up a guy who was an optician and she used the pick up line "I've got my eye on you"..Originally Posted by ATester
They've been married three years...
I only have a lawyer... and I still cannot get out of jury duty
umm... so this whole thing about puking and spitting.. apart froma great way to loose weight so you can combine the whole bullimia thing with it... might also contaminate the seed/agar/medium...
what about using the laundry bleach?
Cheers
Tim
Tim - of course he's using bleach, to clean up the spit and the puke! giggle giggle giggle
And as for getting out of jury duty, well, telling them my SO is a cop worked for me. Course I no longer have that particular SO, but....
It's notoriously hard to get pollen to stick to the stigmatic surfaces of slippers--many of them have next to no "sticky goop" the pollen can adhere to. I've used spit on those, just to get the pollen to stick, not to break it down in any way.
Alex, I've never heard of using lens solution to help trigger pollination. I'm assuming it's lens cleaning solution and not just plain saline? I can't imagine what that would accomplish that crushing the pollinia before pollinating wouldn't.