RE: Your input is needed
> Fellow growers- I am in search of any knowledge/thoughts/opinions on the
> genetics of AG's. I am not referring to familiy trees here, but actual
> biology. [Michalec, Chris] You're headed into deep water here Joe, but
> this is where we go when we're not growing pumpkins. How would I find out
> Mr Dill's early breeding practices? [Michalec, Chris] I too would like
> to know the answer to this, I think we could learn a lot still from him.
> What are the OBSERVED advantages/disadvantages of selfing or sibbing a
> plant? [Michalec, Chris] I believe that this practice can make recessive
> traits more likely to express themselves in the offspring. What
> chacacteristics of a pumpkin are dominat/recessive? [Michalec, Chris]
> Another good question. I belive skin color, thickness, stem and blossom
> size, leaf area and height are all affected by genes that are either
> dominant or recessive. As to how they are expressed or which ones are
> dominant or recessive I couldn't say with any certainty.
>
> I believe us growers have come close to maximizing the environmental
> aspects of our hobby, such as watering, feeding, preventative maintence,
> etc. [Michalec, Chris] Here is where I am inclined to disagree. There
> is a lot of research being done and new products are coming to the market
> that will affect the vigor of plants, fruit set, fruit size and disease
> resistance using different enzymes and plant hormones that have a direct
> affect on the plants. Some of these stimulate the plant to respond as if
> it was fighting a disease, so the plants natural defenses against fungus,
> bacteria and disease are at a high response level even before they are
> exposed to a potential infection or environmental threat. Others
> stimulate the plants growth hormones. As for good cultural practices,
> those who do the best of providing optimal growing conditions and have to
> good fortune of the weather cooperating and providing a good growing
> season will always do well. Those who dip into the pool of better living
> through chemistry and biology may be able to level the field a bit with
> those practices even if their soil isn't the best or mother nature deals
> them a bad hand.
I don't want to say too much, but there are some products that I
will be trying to obtain and use next spring and summer to help me do just
that. I will continue to work on my soil, but I cannot put as much time
into my pumpkins as they require for me to be truly competative with the
other Northwest growers. I will do as much good gardening as I can with the
time I have to put into it, and I will grow the best seeds I can obtain, and
I will hopefully achieve my goals with a little help from some people who
know a lot more than I do about how plants behave and have come up with
products to help them perform. And if I can hold my own with the Holland's,
LaRue's, and Hesters next year I still may not want to say too much because
I will know what has made the difference for me. I'm sure in time there
will be others who find out about these products as well. Right now I don't
even know if I can afford them, but this is the time of year to study up on
these matters. And if I end up with pumpkins under 600 lbs. again next
year, I'll be studying up some more, working on my soil some more and doing
what I can to grow them bigger in '02. I have fun doing this even when I
fall short of my goals, but you always want to raise the bar and see if you
can do better.
Chris Michalec
Covington, WA
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