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British Columbia, Canada

Is every grain of pollen on a male flower different? If so, how much influence does each grain have on the pollination process and outcome of the pumpkins seeds? Does 1 grain = 1 seed or does 1 grain dictate the outcome of an entire seed lobe? Does the pollen vary from flower to flower or plant to plant? Would there be a difference between selfing a plant versus sibbing it?

10/22/2017 3:50:10 AM

Grittyville, WA

I would avoid sibbing unless you want variability. Line breeding and hybridizing is the most effective way to breed. Yes every pollen grain may be different due to genetic recombination during meiosis (reproductive cell division)

10/22/2017 4:42:56 AM

Grittyville, WA

Each pollen grain pollinates one seed and contributes half the genetic material to that seed. There is variability because each plant has more than one set of chromosomes to source the reproductive genes from

10/22/2017 4:51:31 AM

Grittyville, WA

Mathematically, sibbing should increase the gene pool of the offspring by 50% vs selfing. This doesn't sound like a lot but 50% more genes could mean dozens of additional gene combinations.

10/22/2017 5:07:42 AM

Grittyville, WA

2145 McMullen is perfect example of why a hybrid of two good selfed pumpkins has high probability of being a good seed?

10/22/2017 5:21:42 AM

British Columbia, Canada

So if every grain of pollen is different & every seed is pollinated by a different grain does that mean the potential of every seed in the pumpkin is slightly different?

10/22/2017 4:06:41 PM

Nampa

My understanding is that each seed is slightly different. You try to get the best results from the best seeds and then hope for a genetic outlier.

10/22/2017 8:07:07 PM

Colorado

Yep every seed will throw different. Ex.1s the 2624 seed- it grew a few monsters and a lot of relatively small fruit. My 2624 grew my smallest fruit(largest plant/biggest plot) out of 5 plants. Each seed is a genetic roll of the dice.

10/23/2017 9:41:12 AM

Willamette Valley, Oregon

A classic thread from 2010 on this topic:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=19&p=373206

10/23/2017 5:42:58 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

So did Mr. Van Hook figure out a way to expand the diploids? He seems to grow 15-18% heavy every time? Does he have a secret that we don't know about? Peace, Wayne
He prbly learned it from growin Iris's!!! LOL

10/24/2017 1:53:44 AM