Cannabis pollen is an essential component for seed generation, and it is the powdery, dusty, typically yellowish material produced by male cannabis plants or by the male flowers of hermaphroditic seed-producing plants. Whether cannabis fans are trying their green thumbs as a hobby, to reduce their monthly cannabis budget, or to provide stable access to medicinal buds, the amateur grower has a lot to learn. In a new study, funded in part by the Canadian government, researchers have developed a method for storing cannabis pollen for extended periods of time. This is invaluable for maintaining a large collection of genetics and is particularly important for the international cannabis industry, where pollen from faraway places is needed for several reasons.
Once the male plant has developed its pollen sacs, you should keep a close eye on them. Cannabis pollen is generally viable for 2 to 3 days under natural conditions. However, in this study, researchers explored several ways to store cannabis pollen to see which method produced the best conservation results. Sufficient moisture was removed from the cannabis pollen before it was combined with baked whole wheat flour and stored in liquid nitrogen.
By removing the pollen from the mixture, the researchers applied it to female flowering plants, resulting in successful seed formation in all test subjects. Viable germination lasted 4 months, implying that it is possible to conserve cannabis pollen indefinitely. It is interesting to note that cannabis pollen stored in liquid nitrogen without adequate moisture reduction did not germinate. This development is so important for cannabis breeders and for the entire cannabis industry.
