Effect of Low-temperature Storage on Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.) Pollen Quality

The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of low storage temperatures on the quality of pollen obtained from the sweet cherry cultivars 0900 Ziraat, Regina, Starks Gold, and Sweet Heart. The pollen was stored at 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C, and -80 degrees C for 12 months, and its viability and germinability were determined at 3-month intervals. The results demonstrated that the initial pollen viability varied between 73.62% and 79.37%, while pollen germinability varied between 41.24% and 53.56%. The percentage of pollen viability declined remarkably from the third to 12th month by almost 3% in 4 degrees C storage. The pollen viability for the other two storage temperatures (-20 degrees C and -80 degrees C) was greater than 50% by the end of the 12th month. It can be concluded that the pollen quality of these cultivars can be preserved sufficiently at temperatures less than -20 degrees C.