{"id":603,"date":"2021-10-14T14:00:50","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T14:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomnews.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=603"},"modified":"2025-11-12T19:56:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T19:56:31","slug":"innovations-in-cannabis-pollen-long-term-storage-and-its-germination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.bloommarijuana.com\/news\/innovations-in-cannabis-pollen-long-term-storage-and-its-germination\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovations In Cannabis Pollen Long-Term Storage And Its Germination"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a new study, partly funded by the Canadian government, researchers have developed a method for storing cannabis pollen for extended periods of time. They have also found a way to establish the viability of the germination of the pollen of cannabis plants. In this article I will define cannabis pollen, will explain how it is transferred to plants and how it is collected and stored. I will cite the study and explain why this development is so important for cannabis breeders and for the entire cannabis industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is Cannabis Pollen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cannabis pollen, crucial for the generation of seeds, is the powdery, dusty, typically yellowish material produced by the male cannabis plants or by the male flowers of hermaphroditic, seed-producing plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Is Cannabis Pollen Transferred to Plants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The pollen must be transferred to the female flower for fertilization and for the production of seeds. It can be transferred naturally for cannabis  grown outdoors; by wind, rain and via insects. For those plants grown indoors, the pollen is transferred artificially. Cannabis breeders take the pollen from a male plant and rub it on the hairs of the female plant. This takes place approximately halfway through the flowering cycle. Cloning is another method used for reproduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Is Cannabis Pollen Collected?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the pollen sacs develop on the male flowers, they need to be closely monitored by the breeders. It is very important to remove the pollen when the sacs are just about to open as this is the crucial time when the pollen is the most viable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to collect the pollen is to remove an entire cluster of a male flower and dry it out completely in a sealed container. This should take several days. Next,  the cluster is placed on a micron screen with wax or parchment paper underneath. The dried cluster is shaken lightly until it separates from the rest of the plant and falls though the screen onto the paper. Because moisture has such a deleterious affect on the viability of cannabis pollen, many breeders mix flour with their pollen to keep it dry for long-term storage; 4:1 Flour: Pollen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Importance of Long-Term Cannabis Pollen Storage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n