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Re: Pumpkin genetics.

 Is it best to
>use the pollen from the same plant or 'mix and match' from others.
>
>If a Bloggs 765 is used on a Jones 837 for instance will this weaken or
>enhance the chances of growing a whopper. Can pumpkins become 'inbred'
>and is it healthier to use a pollinator from another source.
>
>Would it be wise to use a pollinator that was sucessful in your own
>growing district or an 'outsider'.
>
>Is there any rule of thumb???


John,

I don't know much about pumpkin genetics as such, but genetics in general
is sort of my line.

If you inbreed pumpkins with themselves, there is really likely to be no
problem. (You'd have to be unlucky for this)/ You'll just get lots of
plants which have the same potential to grow to about the same size. You
may get the occasional really big or small one, but theoretically after a
few generations, all should be roughly the same. A little inbreeding may be
able to concentrate good traits, however.

If you cross breed pumpkins of the same species, you may be able to combine
the traits such that you get an even bigger (or smaller) fruit.

Basically the theory as I see it is that a pumpkin probably has lots of
genes which can confer big size, say A B C D E F G. The more of these it
has, the larger fruit it will produce (under constant care). So if you have
Bloggs 765 which say has ABCD and Jones 837 which has EFG and inbreed
Bloggs, you'll get offspringwhich have ABCD (apart from the rare mutant and
other things) ie lots of Bloggses.

But if you cross Bloggs and Jones, you'll get (some) offspring which have
ABCDEFG- that is, more genes for being big, so they'll have bigger fruit
than their parents.

The rule of thumb for genetics is- if you want your offspring similar to
you, inbreed. If you want them different, crossbreed.

Hope this fits in with what pumpkinologists know and observe

cheers

vanessa.


  _-|\
 /    \      Vanessa S. Marsden
 \/--_/
     \*<-----Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
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