CROSS-FERTILIZATION OF ARABIDOPSIS |
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Last Update: December 2006 |
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| PREPARE SOLUTIONS | |
Two iNOX #1 forceps (or equivalent forceps with a fine grasp) |
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95% EtOH (in a vial to hold the forceps) |
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dH2O (in a vial to hold the forceps) |
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Kimwipe surface (to remove plant parts from forceps) |
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Scissors |
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| PROCEDURE | |
| 1. Grow Arabidopsis until the flowers are at a stage where they are not open, yet not closed (right before the white petals become visible) | |
| 2. Cut all flowers that are too old or too young from the inflorescence, leaving 2-6 flowers por pollination | |
| NOTE: if the stamens are already mature with pollen, do not use that flower | |
3. Remove all flower parts except the ovary |
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| Do this by first placing a piece of kim-wipe on the bottom surface of a discecting scope and the place the flowers there before starting to remove the flower parts. This helps in keeping the moist flower parts from sticking to the forcep and instead stick to the kim-wipe surface | |
| 4. Obtain pollen from a donnor plant and place it on the tip of the exposed ovary. Repeat this at least twice to ensure proper pollination | |
| 5. Stick the plant and cover the pollinated ovary with Saran-wrap and let it develop to maturity | |
| 6. Label each pollinated inflorescence accordingly | |
7. Siliques should develop in about 5 days. Saran-wrap can be removed at this point |
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| 8. Harvest the seed once the siliques are dry (don't let it dry too much or the seed will be lost) | |