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Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

I'd like to hear your thoughts on what you think the influence of genetics is on the shape of the pumpkin.
Do you think it plays a significant role? If so, what seeds tend to produce a nice, rounded, symetrical shaped pumpkin?
What other influences do you think influence shape?

Doug

10/10/2004 9:29:41 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

The 940 Mombert 2000 tends to produce consistently tall, very round, and highly colorful fruit.

10/11/2004 6:10:19 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I think it is a shot in the dark. Take for instance the 808 Beachy I grew this year. Two pumpkins on the same plant both beautiful colored. One is long like a 801.5 Stelts produces. The other is perfectly round and symmetrical. Then you take a look at the 451 Engel I grew in 2002. It was almost 5 feet long, bright red in color. It produced the 604.5 Crawford which was very symmetrical.

10/11/2004 10:40:26 AM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Thanks guys.
I was thinking, from what I've observed in pictures of offspring from the same seed, that there is some "shot in the dark" factors going on.
I was wondering if maybe there are some genetics that are less variable. Maybe the 940 Mombert 2000 is one of them.
The 723 and 845 Bobier seem to result in decent shape most of the time. I don't recall seeing any real long or flat ones.
How about the 712 Kuhn? A few I've seen with it as a parent, have a nice, tall, roundish shape.
Any comments on these mentioned, or other observations?

Doug

10/11/2004 5:27:16 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I've had somewhat different shapes on the same plant so I believe there is a little luck going on here.

Poor pollination can leave some lobes (segments) under fertilized too. So those sections of the developing fruit are likely to develope differently without seeds (or fewer of them).

Genetics does set the stage even if the players can louse up a scene.

10/11/2004 8:27:12 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

I'm wondering if the females on the same plant have the exact same genetics, and then shape is just the luck of the draw? Would it work to select seed from the best shaped fruits from the same plant, or would I have to select seeds from the plant that seemed to produce better shaped fruits(I would then need at least two plants, preferrable more, to make this selection). Maybe these questions cannnot be answered at this time.
One more question comes to mind. Do pumpkins on the same plant have a somewhat similar shape, or does it vary quite a bit, sometimes?

Doug

10/30/2004 3:38:09 PM