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milford, CT,

As an open genetics topic...what are peoples thoughts about sibbing some of the top seeds..1161,998,1385,1725 Sweet and Harp,1421,1288..etc.. With the recent seed low seed counts on top seeds ...is this a viable way to secure top genetics in a pure form for future crosses?

12/28/2010 12:44:31 PM

New York

There was a very recent extensive debate about the genetic differences between the offspring of the same specimen, so whether it's better to sib or self for genetic stability is up in the air.

12/28/2010 4:25:57 PM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

I believe that in many cases it would prove better to self than sib. The reason being if one of your sib plants has traits you don't want to carry over, BESs for example, you don't then have two seeds with a BES on one side of the tree.

12/28/2010 4:50:24 PM

Going Green

It occurs to me that if someone took the 1161 (or any one of the seeds mentioned) and allowed the vines to grow several pumpkins selfed thus multiplying the number of seeds with that genetics. This would possibly allow more seed production with genetic stability! Granted the fruit would not have the growth a single pumpkin would have if grown on the vine as the only fruit!

1/18/2011 1:58:07 AM