Re: Lobes, genetics, and seed variability

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Joe re-opened the can of genes, so in I dive.
My understanding is that the pollinator contributes NOTHING to the
traits of the pumpkin he pollinated, any more than you, the pollinator
of your wife, contribute anything to her genetic make-up. THEIR
offspring, however, the SEEDS, contain genes from you and your wife. Am
I right or wrong? Thanks! Kathie

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You are right Kathy,but with some clarifications.....(but the analogy
might (will) incite interesting remarks ! ). If the male does not pollinate
properly or completely,the shape of the "wife" (squash) may be influenced.
The pollinated lobes will grow and mature but an unpollinated lobe will not
grow.This may create a misshapen fruit as was the 539Stellpflug92* and my
218Andrews99*. Now,one could argue that the misshapen fruit is not a
product of an improper or incomplete male pollination ,but of the inability
of that female to accept the pollination. (my 218 has the  539Stellpflug as
 both grandparents  so I'm leaning towards a genetic quirk. Both of these
fruits failed to make it to the end because of these problems (they split
after the bad pollination).I have seen other fruits misshapen the same way
and surviving so I guess one can assume "even bad pollination is better
than no pollination".
So,aside from partial or incomplete pollinations,the male pollinator has
no known effect known on the fruit it pollinated.......................G