WRIST ACTION SHAKER: A NOVEL METHOD FOR COLLECTING POLLEN GRAINS FROM THE INFLORESCENCE OF COCONUT (COCOS NUCIFERA L.) FOR ITS STABLE NUTRITIONAL COMPONENTS

To predict the cocos anther dehiscence, a novel method was devised to compile the colossal amount of pollen grains. The matured inflorescence enveloped by the spathe was collected and the anther dehiscence were noticed day by day until the shedding of entire pollen. This study was experimented for a period of eight months between (February) 2018 to 2018 (September). After an experimental trails, sieve and a new tool wrist action shaker methods were used to collect the healthy pollen grains. Proximate analysis was determined by food analysis-FSSAI and association of analytical chemicals method. The complete process of anther dehiscence took 12 -18 days and after an experimental trials the high amount of pollen grains were obtained on the twelfth day. During the month of June amount of pollen i.e. 16.21 ± 0.05 g per 100 g of the fresh flower weight was recorded in wrist action shaker whereas 2.36 ± 0.018 g per 100 g of the flower weight found in sieve method. The average dry weight of pollen grains was (9.759 g) and 0.11 ± 0.03% of moisture content was found in wrist action shaker. In addition the quality of pollen was stable at – 4 ℃ (freeze drying). The p value (p = 0.002 <0.05) is lesser than 0.05, which indicates that weight of the pollen grains is significant for wrist action shake. The total carbohydrate and protein were higher and zinc and iron were also abundant. The conclusive proof out of the two methods wrist action shaker was more efficient, reliable and cost-effective for collection and storage to use the pollen grains in the fields of pollination biology, nutraceuticals, modern herbal medicine and genetic resource conservation.