Re: Shape by genetics & pollination? (Just thinking out loud)

     If the amount of pollen really matters wouldn't it be better to pick as 
many flowers as posable, take all the pollen, and then dump it all on the 
female.  Maybe even grow numerous plants, not for fruit, but to make more 
males.
     And with my experience this year, I used one flower on each plant.  
Both of my pumpkin look round and well shaped.


>From: "andy wolf" <farm@eznet.net>
>Reply-To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
>To: <pumpkins@mallorn.com>
>Subject: Re: Shape by genetics & pollination? (Just thinking out loud)
>Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 11:00:47 -0400
>
>Here's my thoughts:
>
>         shape is predetermined, BUT incomplete or uneven pollination will
>affect the shape. On my largest, i used only 2 males , and got a lopsided
>pumpkin. I will know more when i carve this year, which may not be long
>because it appears to be
>slowing down.  A strange sight is on my 1092 plant.  The largets pumpkin is
>on the main vine, and is shaped almost exactlylike the 1092, but a creamy
>white color (it's about 170 lbs. now).  The strange thing is that i have 
>had
>4 other pumpkins on side vines of that plant which were all watermelon
>shaped (long watermelons, not round ones).
>
>Andy Wolf
>Western NY
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: GBPUMPKIN@aol.com <GBPUMPKIN@aol.com>
>To: pumpkins@mallorn.com <pumpkins@mallorn.com>
>Date: Sunday, August 08, 1999 8:04 AM
>Subject: Shape by genetics & pollination? (Just thinking out loud)
>
>
> >Shape by genetics & pollination?
> >
> >Just thinking out loud.
> >
> >On my 602 I have two completely different shaped Pumpkins.  One is high 
>and
> >rounded but the back near the shoulders is narrowed and it is on the main
> >vine.  This was pollinated by hand using the male flower as a brush.  I
> >believe the narrowing is caused buy incomplete pollination near the 
>bottom
>of
> >the flower.  This Pumpkin had good rapid growth during peak growing
> >conditions but an uneven shape.
> >
> >The second Pumpkin is on a strong side vine.   Its shape is long and full
> >without any deformities.  It was pollinated entirely by Bees.   Does not
> >react to changing conditions as other Pumpkins.  Just keeps plodding 
>along
> >and I suspect may not mature and slow down too much until it is much
>larger.
> >(I hope).
> >
> >Questions/assumptions:
> >
> >I'm assuming that the shape and ultimate size are controlled by genetics
>and
> >pollination (pattern of pollination in the flower).  This could account 
>for
> >some people getting a great Pumpkin from a particular seed and another
>person
> >gets an average Pumpkin.  It could mean that we have discounted a
>particular
> >seed for poor performance thinking it was genetic and it was a 
>pollination
> >problem.  When you think of this it seems obvious to me but I haven't
>thought
> >about it much before or seen Emails on the subject.
> >
> >Hand pollination: Using a male flower for pollination, could that damage
>the
> >flower?  Should and I'm sure some do, use a soft brush?  It may give 
>better
> >results especially at the back part of the flower.  Less chance of 
>damaging
> >the pollination tubes?  Do they make special brushes for pollination?
> >
> >Pollination and blowouts: Could some blowouts be caused by irregular 
>growth
> >because of pollination?  The plant feeds the Pumpkin to provide pulp in
> >proportion to the seed count.  If there is an uneven seed pattern will 
>this
> >cause uneven growth and stress the walls of the Pumpkin?  Will you get
>steady
> >long lasting growth when the food is distributed to a large even seed
>cavity?
> >
> >
> >Doesn't this get any easier?
> >
> >Next year I'm going to try a brush, if anyone knows of a good type of 
>brush
> >please let me know.  Any comments on any my thoughts would be 
>appreciated.
> >
> >Thanks
> >George Brooks
> >
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