Potato and Tuber Crops

Pollination: Genetic tools used for hybrid TPS production are.

Pollination: Genetic Tools Used for Hybrid True Potato Seed Production

Procedure

1. Trim the flower bunches in the female plants to retain only 6-8 large size buds per bunchCollect the flowers from the male parent in evening preceding the day of pollination.
2. Spread the flowers of male parent on a sheet of paper placed on the table at room temperature and use them for extracting pollen next morning.
3. Pollinate the flowers of female line by dipping the stigma in pollen or applying pollen to stigma by a brush.
4. The first pollination is done between 8-10 AM and then re pollinate at interval of 8 hr to increase seeds / berry.
5. Store, left over pollen in refrigerator at 6-10 °C for next use.
6. Singh and Singh (1990) reported that pollen grains remained viable for at least 6 hours and the pollination could be effected at any time of the day.
7. Pollen germination begins within half an hour of pollination.
8. The optimum temperature for pollen germination has been found to be between 15 and 20 °C.
9. The temperature above 25 °C or below 10 °C is inhibitory.