Fw: seeds/experiment
-----Original Message-----
From: BONNETT <info@gardeningexpress.co.uk>
To: SteveS012@aol.com <SteveS012@aol.com>
Date: 17 April 2001 18:35
Subject: Re: seeds/experiment
>i believe there is a lab in florida, Terra Nova, which produce tissue
>culture clones. I might try contacting them to find out more. also i will
>post your mail to the list to get everyones feedback. Some very good ideas
>and valid points, i'd already thought about fertiliser regimes etc, off to
>till the patch.
>
>Chris
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: SteveS012@aol.com <SteveS012@aol.com>
>To: info@gardeningexpress.co.uk <info@gardeningexpress.co.uk>
>Date: 17 April 2001 11:54
>Subject: Re: seeds/experiment
>
>
>In a message dated 4/16/01 7:04:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>info@gardeningexpress.co.uk writes:
>
>> Original post to the list from kathie below if that gives you the
picture,
>> basically same seed, different growers, different locations different
>sized
>> pumpkins? nature nurture type experiment
>>
>
>Oh! This is exactly what I came up with a couple of years ago on the list,
>but no one cared about it then. This would be a GREAT idea. BUT, in order
>for
>it to be a true experiment, it MUST be done with clones. There is too much
>genetic variation even in seeds from the same pumpkin, (even if the seeds
>are
>from a several generation selfed pumpkin, which would improve genetic
>stability, but even then, there is too much variation). I was talking to
Dr.
>Harold Eddleman a couple of years ago about cloning a seed for this exact
>purpose. (You can read all about our conversations on this from a couple
>years back in the archives. A LOT of information on this type of experiment
>was talked about then). Since then. the consensus has been that the best
way
>to get "clones" for this would be to use cuttings. (Although I personally
>don't consider it a true clone, it is probably the best we can do right
>now).
>Cloning a seed by DNA insertion is possible but there was the conclusion
>that
>a cutting might be closer to a clone than a true clone would be, (for
>complex
>reasons).
>Anyway, if the experiment is done it really needs to be done with a cloned
>plant. The whole purpose is to determine what is due to environment,
>cultural
>practices, and genetics, right? That can only be done with a cloned plant,
>where all of the genetics are totally identical. (Seeds from the same
>pumpkin
>can be extremely different in genetic makeup. Two grown by the same grower:
>One could produce a 1000 pounder, while it's sibling seeds produces a
sickly
>10 pounder. Both plants treated the same by the same grower on the same
>land.
>So as you can see, spreading around seeds from the same pumpkin will not
>show
>anything in an experiment like this. If they were clones, however, we could
>learn more about A.G.'s in one season than we have in the last 15 years by
>doing this). The genetic variation must be removed in order for us to
really
>determine anything from the experiment.
>Then, of course all of the other things, watering, fertilizer, etc, need to
>be standardized.
>But if this was done with clones, it would be the biggest explosion of
>information about growing A.G.s that we ever have had.
>
>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing FAQ: http://www.mallorn.com/lists/pumpkins/search.cgi
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
