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My Dioon edule is coning this year, and to my luck it is a female
Here is my attempt at hand pollination, Thanks to Tom Broome for rushing me the pollen!

Also for his excellent article on hand pollination which can be found here, http://cycadjungle.8m.com/cycadjungle/H ... ycads.html


Female cone is receptive when the bottom scales open.

It seems the easiest method it to cut the top of the cone open to gain access to the ovules.
I could have cut down deeper, just being cautious.







This is the area the pollen needs to reach,

Using the "wet method" for pollination, which is just mixing the pollen with distilled water.

It is applied all the way around the center of the cone.







If well done, the excess will be dripping out the open scales on the bottom of the cone.





It's going to take 12 months or so to know if I was successful




Steve

So if I understand this, when the bottom scales open, it's receptive to pollen?

Those of us who have lost palms to rot (moi.... ) are wondering about all that wet in the cone.
But suppose if it's pollen, it's OK.

Interesting process, Steve.

Bet you were reluctant to start cutting with the knife.
I'd be shaking...

12months...ok, but please keep track of any physical changes to the cone if there are any.

Thanks for the explanation/photos.
How cool is this!!!!!!
Barb

Steve. I just did the opposite and planted some Edule seeds lol

Thats really interesting to see. I had no idea how they hand pollinated cycads. I also, had no idea youd be injecting the pollen (isnt the pollen actually sperm, in cycads?
). I guess I may be doing the same thing in a decade or so if in lucky lol.

Thanks for the good post!

Thanks for sharing your process and the link. I have sucessfully polinated C. revoluta but have not had the opportunity to try on other species. Hopefully this will yield you some seedings in a couple of years if not sooner.

Dylan

Great tutorial! Hopefully in a few months you will have some seeds!

Thanks for the comments!

Canadianplant - Good luck with your seeds!


With luck and if the pollination was successful, the cone should start to enlarge as the seeds form.


Steve

Awesome!

Good luck and let us know how it worked.

When the pollen mixture came down through the bottom, did it come down only on one side, or did it come down from all sides? Sometimes, if you only put the eye dropper on one side, it doesn't get the chance to get mixed throughout the entire cone. If it came down on all sides, you should get a real good seed set. Dioon edule is not picky and will produce almost all good seeds, compared to cycads like ceratozamias, and almost all good seeds on edules germinate as well. With a good set, you will get about 80 seeds.
You did good for your first time, but I would suggest cutting about a half inch to an inch lower on the cone, which will cut through that furry layer you had to deal with, and will outright expose the ovules. That gives you full chance to pour the pollen throughout all sides of the cone. Even though that would leave you with a big hole in the top of the cone, you can replace the top and it will usually weld itself back on. If you don't trust that this will happen, you can always back that up with foaming some "Great Stuff" all over the top, which will insure the top is sealed on good, or at least, it will not allow any water to get into the cone for the next 11 months. Good luck, its always fun to make your own seeds, especially when it is more of a challenge. (like compared to pollinating a zamia cone for example)

Cycadguy - Thanks for the advice! It would have made things easier if I had cut down further, was just being careful and a little reluctant
I did flow flow the pollen all the way around until it was dripping out the bottom, fairly sure of good coverage.

Here's a photo of how things are looking

So it's preggie?

How long does it take?

Barb

Hi Barb, Things are looking well so far, seeds might be ready by the end of next Summer.

Steve

A long gestation period...Will be interesting to watch as that progresses, Steve.

Wonder what physical changes, if any, will occur.
Can you hope for all seeds to be viable?

Barb

Barb, hoping for plenty of seeds

Finally have everything moved out.

Gorgeous specimen, Steve.
Love the long fronds.

Suppose putting an ear up to the belly wouldn't work...

Barb