Breeding Nepenthes

[rainforest]

This thread will help beginners pollinating their flowers and harvesting seeds. This thread may coincide with other sections regarding pollen collecting, and seed germination.
This site will combine images to help portray things that would help a newcomer understand and visualize if they're waiting for seeds or wasting their of time.
This is an example of seeds that have been pollinated and development is underway.

Note the lengthening of the pods. Pods which have not been fertilized, or fertilized properly or a missed connection will probably just stay small and roundish and split open, revealing underdeveloped seeds without embryos.
Whether you're making seeds of pure species or trying to make the super cross, this site will hopefully answer questions and create a better understanding of what's happening with your nepenthes.

Michael

[avery]

Mike,

I have encountered certain degree of pollination failure even the pollens I used are fresh and the female plants healthy. Usually the seed pods lengthen a little bit but eventually stop growing and die. Any idea ??

Just curious, I always have a question after seeing your flowering nep, do you have special trick to prevent unwanted pollination when you have lots of males flowering ??

Sincerely, Avery

[rainforest]

There are several reasons why this might happen. One of the most problematic reasons why your pod doesn't develop further than just a slight swelling/elongation may be due to potency of the pollen, nutrition of the female plant and to a lesser degree infertility compatibility.
I believe one of the most significant reason why the pods appear to abort early is due to overall general health of the plant. Only healthy plants develops seeds even in the wild. If your plant is suffering from root loss, poor media cultivation, irregular watering or even fluxes in temperatures, your seed pods are the least important to it. These will be the first to go. If your spike is too long with too many fruits on them, like a mango or jak fruit, the fruits will be smaller, less developed. On extra long female spikes, I usually cut between the flower clusters of unwanted seed-pods-to-be from developing, only a few fruits are produced in the process. But there are some plants which are poor seed producers no matter what you do. I have a female N. boschiana from tc that sometimes produces fertile seeds and sometimes just wood dust. Even when the right conditions are provided, I still find problems with her. But for the most part, seed grown plants are good producers of fertile seeds. Of course you'll only discover this when your plants actually flower and make/attempt to make seeds.

M