Title : Securing the future of horticulture: Cryobanking pollen for biodiversity and breeding
Abstract:
Cryopreservation is an essential method for conserving the genetic resources of crop species addressing challenges like flowering asynchrony, limited pollen availability, and complex breeding cycles in perennial species. By preserving pollen in cryobanks, breeders can ensure a consistent supply of viable pollen, overcoming seasonal and geographical constraints, and enabling hybridization across diverse species and genera. Pollen cryopreservation is straightforward and effective, with protocols that avoid the need for cryoprotectants, making it suitable for routine use in germplasm conservation.Pollen cryobanking enhances cross-country pollen transport due to minimal quarantine requirements and the pollen’s resilience, owing to its low water content and robust exine. Key steps include collecting dry, viable pollen, storing it in airtight pouches within cryogenic canisters, and conducting viability tests post-thaw for effective field pollination. The development of standardized methods for different pollen types, including desiccation-tolerant and non-desiccation-tolerant varieties, is critical for establishing pollen conservation in genebanks. This presentation will discuss the advantages of pollen cryopreservation in horticultural crop breeding, highlighting its utility as a complementary resource for breeders and researchers.
Key Words: Pollen cryopreservation, Plant breeding, Horticultural crops, Pollen viability
