Pollination

The pollinia which , upon maturation is easily detachable , are collected on to a clean paper. Touch the sharp end of a toothpick of needle first to the stigmatic fluid and then to the pollinia , which will then stick to the toothpick . Transfer the pollinia to the stigmatic surface one to each cavity . The flower is then bagged in order that pollinia from other flowers may not get deposited on the same stigma .

If the pollination has been effective , the column will begin to swell and ovary enlarge , within 2-4 days. Otherwise these organs will shrival and die.

It takes from 4- 10 months for the capsule to mature and ripen . But in terrestrial orchids which appear above ground only seasonally , this is a much shorter process.

Harvesting of the pods is done before they dehisce , but after the three lines of dehiscence become markedly clear on the pod. This early harvesting is to prevent contamination of the seeds with fungal or bacterial spores from the atmosphere . The pods are carefully wrapped in clean tissue paper and kept in a jar lined at the bottom with calcium chloride packets or any other dehydrant . This again is to prevent contamination from external spores which need a humid atmosphere to thrive . When the pods split ,the seeds are collected and stored in refrigerator in paper packets over a dessicator . Kept thus the seeds will remain viable for a long period , in some cases as long as six years .

Care should be taken to avoid use of polythene or wax paper , since the former prevents proper aeration for the seeds and those packed in wax paper get a coating of wax, making it difficult for the seeds to get wet during sterilisation .

Meeyot and Kamemoto (1969) found that dehydrants reduced viability of pollen to a considerable degree . They collected pollinia in small gelatin vials, placed them in 150 ml jars with and without dehydrants. Pollen stored at 45 F germinated better than those stored at 72 Degree F. They also recorded that viability varied with species . Dendrobium phalaenopsis pollen remained viable for 4-6 months whereas those of Dendrobium undulatum and D .strebloceras remained so for more than 12 months at 45 Degree F.