> This is very interesting. I am surprised that the silica gel doesn't
> completely dessicate the pollen to such a degree that the pollen is
> killed...
In fact best to my knowledge a complete drying of the pollen is
exactly what's necessary to conserve them by simply reducing life
(=metabolism) to a minimum. The same might be achieved by storing
pollen in liquid nitrogen (-196C). I think the critical steps are the
procedures drying or freezing are done (fast or slow....).
Andreas