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Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

Regarding genetics, there's an interesting article in the May 2004 issue of Discover magazine entitled "Return of the King of Trees" regarding the efforts to revive the American Chestnut tree, which was wiped out by a fungal blight to which Asian Chestnut trees were not susceptible. Someone crossed the American & Asian version and have a resistant tree but now are backcrossing to try to eliminate the undesirable Asian qualities (short) and isolate the tall American genes with only the fungus resistant Asian genes (and no other Asian genes).

Anyway, I thought some might find the article interesting since the selective tree breeding it describes seems to directly correspond to pumpkin breeding (or plant breeding in general, for that matter)...A 'good read', if you get the chance.

Frank

4/8/2004 9:12:12 AM

Cincinnati,OH

Those chestnut hybrids are available at oikostreecropps.com
I've planted a few.

4/8/2004 4:29:15 PM

Cincinnati,OH

oikostreecrops.com They also have some interesting oak tree crosses and other good stuff.

4/8/2004 4:32:37 PM

Montoursville, PA

Man can not live by pumpkins alone....Thanks. This is a good read. The guys I hunt with found a large living American Native Chestnut. It is recorded and being used somehow, in the effort to re-establish the Chestnut.

4/8/2004 8:34:21 PM