Development of accessible and scalable maize pollen storage technology.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Short maize (Zea mays) pollen lifespan limits crop improvement and hybrid seed production.
• Existing maize pollen storage methods are not scalable or widely accessible for large-scale hybrid seed production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an accessible protocol for storing large volumes of maize pollen.
• To identify critical factors for maintaining maize pollen viability during storage.
• To improve the utility of stored maize pollen for hybrid seed production.

Main Methods:

• Investigated pollen viability using pollen tube germination tests and electron microscopy of pollen-silk interactions.
• Optimized storage by suppressing cellular respiration through refrigeration and controlled gas exchange.
• Evaluated anti-clumping carrier compounds, including microcrystalline cellulose, for pollen flowability and seed set.

Main Results:

• Suppressed cellular respiration via refrigeration and optimized gas exchange significantly maintained pollen viability.
• Anti-clumping carriers improved stored pollen flowability, leading to increased seed sets.
• Stored maize pollen achieved seed-set equivalency to fresh pollen in field trials.

Conclusions:

• A low-cost, scalable protocol for storing maize pollen up to seven days was developed.
• Optimized refrigeration, gas exchange, and anti-clumping carriers are key to successful maize pollen storage.
• This advancement supports efficient hybrid seed production for food, fuel, and feed.