POLLEN EXTENDER, ARTIFICIAL POLLINATION AND PRESERVATION OF POLLEN

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pollen extender more inexpensive than in the past and capable of more stably being supplied and having an action accelerating the growth of a pollen tube, and an artificial pollination using the pollen extender, and a method for preserving pollen. SOLUTION: This pollen extender is mainly composed of powder of a porous material, e.g. powder of silica gel, added to the pollen collected for artificial pollination. The powder of the porous material preferably has a spherical or granular shape having 0.1-200 μm average granular diameter and has 0.01-1.0 g/cc bulk specific gravity, or may have a color of a coloring material, at need. Such a pollen extender is preferably added to and mixed with the pollen and the mixed powder is sprayed or coated to a plant to be a target of applying an artificial pollination. Furthermore, the pollen extender is preferably added and mixed to the pollen and the resultant mixed powder is preserved by charging in a sealed vessel.