Residual Pollen Viability in and around grow area--how long

[GCase]

Howdy Breeders

Thought I would go direct to the AFN pros.

One can't get a straight science based answer for so many subjects on search engines these days. Frustrating.

All I could find doing different search queries is the same old song and dance. Some say viability from unintended pollination can last for only a few weeks, others stress bleaching everything, some mention spraying water, and one claimed idle pollen in a room/tent is viable for decade or longer.

Just ridiculous.

My big concern is fans. They get chalk full of crud and could harbor pollen.

What is the best course of action--just a reasonable cleaning or not to worry about it.

If anyone has a link to science based info. such would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Magic]

Don't think you will find a actual scientific answer for canna pollen yet. I did find something for pollen in general so it could be of some use

Viability of pollen is influenced by many factors, f.e.:
Type of plant:
For Brassica, it was found that pollen retains some viability for at least 72 hours, strawberry pollen had lost approximately 50% of its viability after 6 hours, the highest pollen viability in Iris was in 4 hours after blooming.
In Anaphyllopsis americana, 50% of pollen grains remain viable after 70 h following dehiscence, and it takes over 210 h for total loss of viability to occur.

Temperature > heat stress

Humidity > too low > desiccation; too high > fungus

Atmospheric composition and oxygen pressure.

Solar radiation
Air pollution


Storage
http://www.pakbs.org/pjbot/PDFs/41(5)/PJB41(5)2083.pdf

 

[Magic]

I'll do some more research for you bro but if I had to take a wild guess I'd say 1-2 weeks max in the open

 

[briman]

Case, I have no scientific answers for you here, but have heard sniper say the use of a spray bottle with plain water will cause pollen to be inert in his tent. I had a accidental pollenation my last run and am now bleaching everything. Moisture and water are the key to causing it to be inert, from everything google and other canna site have to say on the matter. I have been on several sites(lots of blogging time in the past week) for this very reason. They all came to the same conclusion, Humidity and water to kill pollen. I haven't seen 1 scientific research on it that would verify on canna, either way.

I'm just doing reasonable cleaning on every piece of equipment I have, including pulling fans apart and pulling the covers off my leds and blowing compressed air through them and putting them back together. It's a major undertaking, but needs to be done every now and again anyway. watching to see what others have to say on the subject.

 

[GCase]

Thanks Magic and Briman.

That is a good approach Magic.

Yes, the water spray and bleach seem to be SOP. I will do a spray, clean fans and duct etc. it is about time for deep clean. Doubt there is any around for the room is like a ocean breeze with fans etc. But...

I will also check my two grow books and see what Rosenthal says (do recall reading something about long-term viability based on handling and storing properly).

Also, I am on a two to three week grow break, so, no plants around.

Cheers

 

[Magic]

Glad to help somewhat.lol really thinking about buying Jorges canna encyclopedia

 

[AKNorthernlights]

I just got done spray/bleaching my tent down yesterday after a good vacuum of everything, including lights, fans, scrubber

 

[Dr Fluff]

Glad to help somewhat.lol really thinking about buying Jorges canna encyclopedia

Good idea just ordered myself a copy, should be here on Monday

 

[GCase]

That is a good idea. Rosenthals' book has beaucoup editing errors. However, good book for overall understanding of plant and its history. I use his book often.

The other book I have by Greg Green second edition---is dangerous. Does anyone have it. He/editors use the term trichomes and pistils interchangeably. New growers would be misdirected. One section he talkes about pistils as if trichomes--crazy.

The Jorge book sounds good.

Cheers

 

[Magic]

I can tell you now from my resent experience, I left some pollen out for two weeks I completely for got about it in my chamber, and now I could toss it all over my grow room it wont pollinate anything, ive tried 3 days straight to pollinate a plant and it wont take ive completely covered the plant and no signs at all. so ill tell you after two weeks of pollen sitting aroung chances of it being viable go down exponentially.