When Pollen Sac Won't Stick....

[Happypaphy7]

Does that mean the two plants involved are incompatible or does one have to use stick agent to make it stick to the stigma?

I have been having fun with pollination since January this year, and so far, the only thing that gave me problem was brachy, namely Mystic Isle.

I tried to put parvi pollen on to its stigma, but the brachy's stigma seems to lack any sticky substance?

I just tried putting malipoense pollen onto chamberlainianum and the same thing happened. It just won't stick!

So far, parivs x maudiae, parvis x fairrie, fairrie x self, parvi x brachy have worked.

This last one, I did it both ways just in case, but only parvi x brachy is developing the pod while the other way around has failed.

 

[Ozpaph]

do people still use a tiny drop of honey as a sticking agent?

 

[Happypaphy7]

Would the growing tubes go through honey without problem?

 

[JasonG]

Can't say for Paphs as I have not tried there but have been using just a bit of honey on Phrags with a high level of success.

 

[Ray]

I could be totally wrong about this, but I have always assumed that a dry, non-sticky viscidium indicated that I have missed the optimal time for pollination.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Thanks for the input, Jason.

Ray- I don't think that's the case, at least not for the brachy and chamberlainianum because they were both fresh open when the stickiness is expected to be "good". The same brachy, I also tried a few weeks later, but the stigma was still dry.

The others that I pollinated, were mostly done while they are quite fresh with the exception of fairrieanum, and all had sticky enough stigma surface.
Some of them had very Ricky pollen sacs, so that helped too, but parvi pollens seem very dry.
Funny thing is both brachy and chamberlainianum have sticky pollen sac.

 

[PaphMadMan]

Honey is complex and variable stuff - origin from many kinds of plants and all over the world, potential to carry viruses, microorganisms, enzymes. I have used simple glucose or sucrose syrup rather than honey for that reason, with success. White corn syrup should also work. Make sure the pollen is in direct contact with the stigmatic surface if possible, not just through a thick layer of honey or syrup

 

[Happypaphy7]

That is a great point, and I actually was a bit concerned about honey carrying virus that might be able to infect orchids.

Now, is it known that honey or flower nectar can carry virus though?

I do have two bottles of honey, but no corn syrup. I just don't use that stuff.
hmmm
what else could be used...

 

[PaphMadMan]

All honey contains pollen unless it is extremely well filtered, and the trend is toward less processing. One way the origin of honey is determined is by what pollen is present. Pollen can carry virus.

Bacteria carried by honey can be a serious problem if fed to infants. Certainly plant pathogens are also possible.

I don't know if honey ever poses a serious risk if used as pollen glue, but why take the chance? Sugar + water = sticky.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Yes. Honey label says do not feed to infant.
It can cause deadly disease of Botulism.

I buy honey that is not processed and not even heated because I want all the good stuff in it. Otherwise it's just basically expensive thick sugar water. lol

 

[JAB]

I don't know much about babies, but they need to toughen up if they can't handle honey

 

[PaphMadMan]

I don't know much about babies, but they need to toughen up if they can't handle honey

They can handle honey but not the spores of Clostridium botulinum that it can carry, and they do toughen up after a year or so, so toddlers should be safe in your care (from this at least).

 

[Happypaphy7]

I don't know much about babies, but they need to toughen up if they can't handle honey

Newborn's immune system is not complete and the named bacteria is every strong. They will kill babies. They can do much damage to adults and even kill!
So, it's always to be safe than sorry.

 

[Hien]

years ago , I noticed how hard to adhere the pollen on the staminode , I smashed the pollen with the end of the chopstick in a little bit of distilled water , then painted this paste on the staminode . It works .

 

[Happypaphy7]

I don't think it's pollen, but the stigma that is the problem.
My observation is brachy, fairrie, cochlo had very stick pollen sac.
Parvis and Maudiae type hybrid, not so much, yet, had no problem sticking on the stigma of other flowers.

Brachy ( Mystic Isle) and chamberlainianum have totally non-stick stigma surface.
I tried smashing pollen actually. Nothing ever worked.
It's like glass surface!