Cowpea Pollen Cryopreservation (Vigna unguiculata)
摘要
Cowpea is a warm-season crop that can withstand drought and heat conditions much better than other legume crops. Cowpea is a multipurpose crop cultivated worldwide and has high protein content. Pollen grain cryopreservation is a viable method for conservation, exchange, and facilitating the genetic resources needed for cowpea breeding programs. For the purpose of fertilizing spatially or temporally separated female parents, cowpea pollen must be stored for an extended period of time. This is particularly crucial during cowpea variety development and extensive hybridization initiatives. The essential steps needed for the effective pollen cryopreservation of cowpea germplasm are covered in this protocol chapter, including pollen collection, viability evaluation, dehydration, and storage in liquid nitrogen at −196 °C. The year-round supply of pollen for cowpea breeding is ensured by the development of an efficient long-term storage protocol.