RE: 769 Balanowski

Would someone remind me why we AG growers cherish pumpkins that weigh
heavy over the taped estimate rather than light. Izzit merely to avoid
Well, I'll take a stab at it... got to take a break from work which
is driving me crazy!

We tend to think that pumpkins that weight over the charts must have
thicker walls, or more dense flesh, and that in itself would be a desireable
genetic trait. So these seeds are desired in hopes that these seeds would
produce more pumpkins that have thicker walls, etc. But in reality what
we would want is a perfect balance of thick walls and large size. (What
that perfect balance is, is anybody's guess...)

But if you "read between the lines" of the point you are making, I think
it is quite valid... is it better to breed for size and later cross in the thick
walls, or breed for a thick walled strain and later breed for size? OR?

And then again, the over or under the chart scenario may be dominated
not completely by genetics, but by the environment. Such as having the
right balance of available calcium, which has been mentioned on the
list in the past.

Regards, Cliff

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