Abstract: The invention provides novel compositions and methods for storage and delivery of pollen to a female reproductive part of a recipient plant. The pollen storage composition provided includes at least one perlite particle and pollen. The methods provided include storing the pollen storage composition and applying the pollen storage composition to at least a first female reproductive part of a recipient plant, thereby pollinating the female reproductive part with the pollen from the donor plant.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for use in evaluating quality of pollen grains. One example method includes germinating pollen grains of a crop in a fluid media and inserting a sample of the germinated pollen grains and fluid media into a flow chamber of a fluid imaging system. The sample flows through the flow chamber at a predefined rate, and images of the sample are captured by a camera of the fluid imaging system. The method then includes comparing the captured images of the sample to reference images specific to the crop and, based on the comparison, generating a pollen germination score for the sample, the pollen germination score indicative of germinated pollen grains in the sample.