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Pumpkintown, SC

Maybe this is a good time(Winter session recognized) to ask:
What MORE can we be doing? What NEXT should we be doing?
Most of us do a pretty respectable job "selecting" for increased weights. A lot of us even do a good job crossing for increased weights. But, have we gotten too confortable with our increases. Sure, new PBs, new state records, new world records...heck we must be doing something right? Yeah, but are we doing EVERYTHING that we can, right?
What if our plants were powdery mildew resistant? What if our plants were mosaic virus resistant? What if our plants were cold hardy and/or heat resistant? What if our fruit were longer maturing, had thicker walls, more dense flesh, more pliable skin, etc? Would our weights not increase exponentially? I for one think so!
But, more importantly, these elements are all currently being bred into our fruits and vegetables...heck, right into our Cucurbits! So why aren't we? Aren't we missing a big part of the weight gain pie? Sure it takes time. Yes, a lot of time. But hey, I've been doing this for 10 years. I plan on doing this another 10 so at that time I can annouce I'll be doing it yet another 10, lol. Many of you have been doing it far longer than me! Are we content not starting because it takes time...as the seasons tic bye?
I'll throw my hat in the ring. Now I'm probably not smart enough to be the "point-man" on this, as I know just enough to be dangerous. But I think I do get it(and I'm pretty good at asking "what if"). So who's with me? How do we start? Where do we start...'cause I think I got the "when" down, BF

11/22/2006 3:44:47 AM

Pumpkintown, SC

Geez! Note to self: Get a good nights sleep before posting again...

11/22/2006 3:47:41 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

If the goal is to do some selective breeding for disease resistance then this seems like a worthy topic for discussion.

11/22/2006 7:35:29 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Tremor, if disease resistance is the goal, then I think I learned something last year. I lost quite a few plants to what I think was mosaic virus. The 2 that didn't show any signs of it were the 818.5 Engel (1370 Rose X self) and the 1200 Trumm (1370 Rose X 1097.5 Beachy). I think that this year I will go with more of the plants with the 1370 Rose genes.

11/22/2006 8:54:53 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

This is an interesting discovery to me personally since I believe we've been hit with Mosaic every year here since 2003 though I've only recently confirmed it.

Now if the 1370 genetic continues to stay clean in your patch I'll be cutting back flips.

Keep in mind that many successive generations have to repeat before a correlation can be confirmed.

I've grown the 845 Bobier twice & saw the Mosaic both times so if there is resistance its not from the Lloyd/Mettler cross.

11/22/2006 9:05:23 PM

That State Up North

There is some diversity present in the giant pumpkin gene pool as we know it. I have observed specific lines to have high or low resistence to basic fungal diseases like powdery and downy mildew. It is possible to introduce some increased disease tolerance within the species. It is most likely that true resistence genes will be found in other species and exotic cucurbit germplasm.

11/23/2006 5:38:38 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

At the risk of hijacking the original thread~~

Hey Nic,

Have you heard of anyone using aspirin or salicylic acid to control/manage Mosaic?

11/23/2006 1:08:14 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

If disease tolerance/resistence is what we want to focus on...What's keeping us from introducing the PMR gene that has long been isolated from the wild species Cucurbita martinezii, into one of our current lines? BF

11/23/2006 1:09:12 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Wouldn't introducing disease resistant genes from non-AG cucurbits result in decreased fruit size(using tradititional breeding methods)?

11/23/2006 1:55:38 PM

Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

768.5 Sherwood for mosaic resistance.

11/23/2006 2:51:21 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

In 2007 will be planting about 1/2 with 1370 Rose genes and 1/2 without to give this a better test. Hopefully better insect control will also help.

As far as introducing genes from a non-AG cucurbit is concerned, it should only affect fruit size if it is done by normal pollination. If it is done with gene splicing, as was done to produce Roundup-Ready corn & soybeans, it shouldn't affect size. I just can't see any AG grower being able to cover the immense cost of that kind of genetic manipulation.

11/24/2006 1:25:22 PM

Ohio

Not to control virus, but to stimulate a response provoking general disease resistence, specific studies with phytophtora in particular from my recolection

Nic Welty

11/25/2006 9:13:43 AM