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Cummington, MA

I have only been growing pumpkins for 2 years. Looking at garden variety vegetables, there are all kinds of varieties developed for different disease resistances. Has anyone tried this with giant pumpkins? It seems like if there were strains developed for resistance that were later crossed with the giant monsters it would really advance the sport. (or what if field pumpkins with known resistances were crossed with giant pumpkins, then it would probably take generations of breeding to get them giant again, but you would get the desired traits in your AG's) I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking of this, but I haven't been able to find discussion on it.

Do breeders keep data on different characteristics of their plants, not just weights? Like this one was healthy but my other plants were attacked by xyz disease?

Or not even disease resistance, but other problems such as shape of the pumpkin or plant characteristics that are desirable. If those were kept track of in certain strains, you could always cross them with the heavy hitters to get an awesome combination.

Just your crazy thoughts while you wait for the results from Topsfield, wishing you were there!

I have no idea how they develop cucumbers or what-have-you that resist certain diseases or pests. Amazing!

10/4/2013 3:25:05 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

They are bred for size and weight...that is the only charecteristic that is key in the breeding program. It has to be fairly healthy to achieve the top weights that they do..

10/4/2013 4:15:59 PM

Holton, Michigan

unfortunately im afraid Linus is correct.so i have noticed if i want an ag to make it to the end they require more preventative fungicide/pesticide treatment.than field pumpkins.love to know what other growers have experienced?

10/4/2013 5:48:08 PM

Wi

We have noticed a trend here the past 2 years. We have INCREDIBLE root disease pressure here.

However we've planted (8) 1476 Hopkins seeds across 3 patches the past 2 years. We've only been able to kill one. We've hurt a couple more, but they are tough to kill. That's 8 Hopkins out of 30 total plants. I believe total plant loss to root disease has been 17 out of 30...OUCH.

So out of the 13 surviving plants 8 of them have been the 1476 Hopkins. Coincidence? I doubt it.

I can't even imagine how big our pumpkins would be here locally with no disease pressure.

10/4/2013 5:55:48 PM

Eurasia

Strongly growing against the diktat of Linus Van Pelt I only use AGs for crossbreeds to enhance the size of smaller edible pumpkins. I neve compete record addicted, and so I grew some more AGs from different growers in the USA last year only to look what fruit should be the one and only for my climate here in a pretty cold region in Europe.
The winner was the 922 Mohr 11 from Colorado. The first year this plant suffered CMV but was resistant against powdery mildew, that was on every other AG in 2012. So in 2013 I selfed this probably mildew resistant child of the 922 again and infected all neighboring plants and the selfed 922s with powdery mildew from the hedge maple. Some successfully infected plant´s vines grew intertwined with this selfed 922s, but could not even now infect it!
Today in October the foliage of all this selfed 922 plants suffer a little our cold climate, but did not die in two nights with 0°C (32°F) this week! This plants are from the hight of 5,200 feet or so in Colorado and fit for my climate north of the Alps. I did not see CMV or any other virus on this plants this year. Please look at the 922 pictures, you can find with google: this fruit is so nice and grew nice grandchildren now. I do not want to grow a 2009 Wallace 12 but only the best AG from Colorado as a source for crossbreeding with little C. maxima pumpkins to get 35 to 52 lbs instead of 4 to 5 lbs last year (pollinated by the 922) or 2 ot 3 lbs. before (original breed). This explosion in weight in the second year combined with mildew resistance is very valuable for serious pumpkin breeding. The 2009 was meritless and unsightly, while the 922 was a stabile and really pretty fruit. World record weight is not important for breeding resistances.

10/4/2013 6:17:04 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Take the advice above and wipe with it...as that is what it is worth

10/4/2013 10:10:50 PM

Springfield, Missouri

My undergrad research project for the past 2-3 years has been germplasm improvement within the genus Cucurbita. Currently I am analyzing hybrids produced in 2012, and working to produce DHLs (double haploid lines) from pollen culture. My goal is to produce a variety that is PM, virus, Pythium, and nematode resistant, as well as more tolerant to heat and cold stress. The species that I am working with include C. maxima, C. moschata, C. lundelliana, C. ficifolia, and C. argyrosperma.

If you are interested in growing some of the hybrids let me know. I have C. lundelliana x maxima-(AG) hybrids that produce football size fruit with hard shells. I also have a maxima x maxima cross. One parent was an AG and the other was a variety resistant to PM. The maxima x maxima cross produced one of healthiest plants I have ever seen (no PM). I had 6 fruit that were all around 100 lbs on a 300 square foot plant. If you would like more information please email me.

LMD4833@truman.edu

10/4/2013 10:54:01 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

It is giant pumpkins...If you breed out the size for disease resistance...you have a pumpkin. Sort of like trying to race NASCAR with a hybrid...

10/5/2013 9:33:09 AM

Springfield, Missouri

No doubt it will take some time. There are many QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci)for size and vigor. The use of double haploids will decrease the time it would normally take, because heterozygosity is taken out of the equation. Every trait would be homozygous, thus it would be easier to know what you are working with. The use of molecular markers would make it even easier to get very high fruit weights in resistant plants, but that kind of takes the fun out of it.

There are many examples of this kind research with other plants. This summer I worked on a wine grape improvement project. This was a very large program that involved multiple universities such as UC Davis, Cornell, and Missouri State. We crossed varieties that had high PM resistance and cold tolerance with wine grapes. Using molecular markers they will be able to get varieties that have both good wine making characteristics, hardiness and disease resistance in several generations.

Trying to improve seeds for the next season is half the fun in my opinion. Hopefully I will have some interesting things to share with all of you in several years.

10/5/2013 2:05:27 PM

Holton, Michigan

I agree with you Chris some AG seed is more disease resistant than other for what ever reason? Just from experience. I as well have severe disease/bug pressure

10/5/2013 3:03:21 PM

Eurasia

Oh, I work faster than you, Duncan. I studied agriculture, gardening and a little biotechnology in Weihenstephan while I tutored inorganic chemistry for forestry students three decades ago, but we are not allowed to work with all methods that are basics for you. We are a developing country without the option to develop biotechnology here in Germany.
I now work like a galoot with AGs from US growers who mostly are more forward-looking then Linus Van Pelt. Please stay here and inspire our aim to grow not only heavy hitters.
I´m working like a galoot, and my little son does not accept, that I can´t give him simple Bt-corn or roundup-resistant sugar beet. My friends and I have been terrorized over decades, cause we wanted and we still want to grow and delve deeply with all biotechnical methods.
Coerced by European law I work with the whole organism and not with gene loci...like a galoot I beat my chest, when I enhance lutein and zeaxanthin in a pumpkin with the virus from Salix sachalinensis `Sekka´, that makes the vines broader... With this virus pumpkins grow 15 to 20 % larger. I´m proud like a galoot for this, but I am not allowed to say cause and reason, cause I am not allowed to do real research.

10/5/2013 3:09:25 PM

Springfield, VT

It might be a good idea to talk with the people at outstanding seed company, they have bred pumpkins with disease resistance in both Pepo (field) and maxima (AG) pumpkins. They have a pink maxima called Rascal with good disease resistance.

http://www.pumpkinvegetableorganicseeds.com/Product-Rascal-PMRR-F1.asp

10/7/2013 4:06:35 PM

South Hero, VT

Thanks, Wilbur. We can always count on you for accurate, up to date advice.

10/7/2013 4:38:29 PM

Holton, Michigan

thanks vtwilber much appreciated! I love looking at seed company's :)

10/7/2013 10:56:25 PM

NE Kansas

Proverbs 26:4,5 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

10/17/2013 4:34:46 PM