Cryopreservation of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Pollen

Pomegranate is one of the first domesticated fruit species, and is widely spread in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Pollen storage is being examined for base collection as a means to preserve the haploid-level genetic diversity of clonal crops to supplement the conventional clonal conservation methods. Pollen contributes significantly to the genetic makeup of plants. Thus, pollen cryopreservation is an important method to conserve the genetic diversity of pomegranate. The cryopreserved pollen provides scope for gene conservation at the haploid stage in pomegranate genotypes and wild relatives. Conservation of the haploid gene pool can be accomplished by consolidating pollen from different species and cultivars and subsequently cryopreserving them. Such a protocol, made available to breeders, would help to improve their breeding efficiency, in terms of identifying potential pollen parents and preserving them for fulfilling commercial requirements. The ultimate aim of pomegranate pollen cryopreservation has been to establish a “Pollen Cryobank” through which pollen of desired species/cultivars could be consolidated and made available for breeding without any seasonal or geographic constraints.