Pollination of orchids with a pollen mixture

Abstract

Self-pollination and cross-pollination were carried out simultaneously in species of the genus Laelia Lindl. and of the genus Cattleya Lindl. (Orchidaceae). These experimental procedures increased the production of embryos with seeds compared to self-fecundation alone and reduced it compared to cross-pollination alone. Intraspecific pollination together with heterospecific pollen and intraspecific pollination with recently collected pollen and pollen stored for one year (inactive pollen) were also performed. In the former case there was a reduced production of seeds with embryos and in the latter no seeds with embryo were formed. Key words: Orchidaceae, seeds with embryos, self-pollination, cross-pollination, heterospecific pollen, inactive pollen.