Pollen， serving as the essential carrier of plant male reproductive cells， encapsulates a complete set of haploid nuclear genomic information specific to a given plant species. The long-term preservation of pollen holds immense significance for botanical research， crop breeding， agricultural production， and the conservation of plant genetic diversity. In the field of botany， well-preserved pollen is an important material to reveal the mechanism of plant reproductive biology， genetics and evolution. In crop breeding， it can effectively solve the problems of parents' flowering period and off-site hybridization， broaden the selection range of breeding parents， and accelerate the breeding process of excellent varieties. From the perspective of agricultural production， it is helpful to ensure the quality and yield stability of crop pollination. As far as the protection of plant genetic diversity is concerned， it can preserve the genetic resources of rare and endangered plants and avoid the loss of genetic diversity due to natural factors or human disturbance. This article comprehensively reviews the factors affecting pollen viability and the methods for its detection. It also summarizes the research advancements in pollen preservation techniques， such as drying， low-temperature， ultra-low temperature， and organic solvent storage methods. The authors further analyze the applications of pollen preservation in plant breeding and genetic resource conservation and deliberate on the prospects of future research. The aim is to offer a reference for promoting innovation in pollen preservation technologies.