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Location

Message

Date Posted

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

Does pollen from male flowers on the same plant necessarily carry the same genes? Or might there be genetic variation within males of the same plant?
Frank

3/11/2005 8:56:17 AM

Deer Park, WI

Every pollen grain from a single plant is different to some degree. They all carry the same genes, its the alleles (varitions within a gene) that differ. Much in the same way that children from the same father rarely look identical, pumpkins with the same male will also look different

3/11/2005 9:15:29 AM

Greencastle, PA

Mendel's principle of segregation... Yes, every grain of pollen varies from the next.
Tom

3/12/2005 2:12:26 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

A related (no pun intended) but slightly different question.

What is the difference between the genetics of pumpkin X and pumpkin Y where X is the result of pollinating a flower from A with pollen from B and Y is the result of pollinating a flower from B with pollen from A?

Good thing humans don't have that problem. :-)

3/12/2005 5:24:14 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Hey Joe, why aren't you here in Niagara?
(wireless room service is great :0)

3/12/2005 11:48:24 PM