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Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Does sibbing a particular seed, in most cases, result in pumpkins that look quite close to the parent.
For instance, I have the 1100 Bobier seed. It is the 845 Bobier sibbed. Will offspring of the 1100 Bobier likely look quite similar to offspring of the 845 Bobier?
Are there examples you can think of, where sibbing results in offspring that closely resemble the parent, or examples where they look quite different?

Doug

1/28/2005 10:41:57 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

In a nutshell, the sibbing of a particular fruit is your best bet for offspring similiar to its parents, both parents.
ie. if you are "hoping" to grow fruit similiar to a "typical" 845 offspring, a sibbed 845 would be your best option and better than say a selfed 845 which theoretically will only produce offspring similiar to the single 845 from which it came. BF

1/29/2005 2:00:13 AM

Snake,

You are correct. However, with all the criss-cross pollination done over the years, sib-pollination often produces results just as unpredictable as random cross-pollination. The variablility of genetics existing within the seeds of a single pumpkin these days is staggering. If you are going to sib-pollinate, take into account the pumpkin the pollinating plant produced before you consider planting the seeds next year. Cross-pollinating with an 805 Pukos plant just because the 805 often produces thick pumpkins is no guarantee this characteristic will be passed in your cross-pollination efforts. Also rermember that 50% of the nuclear genes are donated by both the seed plant and the pollinating plant.

1/29/2005 8:42:37 AM

I would go so far as to say, in many cases, it might be best to completely disregard a pumpkin's genetic background (as portrayed by hierarchy trees) and make your decisions based only on its appearance and the appearance of the pumpkin produced by the pollinating plant (if any).

1/29/2005 4:06:32 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

...and their cousins...

1/31/2005 11:44:26 PM

Alex, IN

The 916 Barenie is a Sibbed 845 Bobier and it grew the 911 J. Barenie and the 994 M. Barenie. Both were heavy.

Mikkal

2/1/2005 7:17:01 AM