genetics

Pumpkin Flower-

Generally is better. 
It isn't really a question of better or worse- but different.
The reason why people use the pollen from other plants is so that the
seeds from the resulting pumpkin will be different - that is have a
different genetic make up.  Hopefully these new seeds will have a
genetic make up that will be "good".  For us good means grows makes a
plant that is potentially capable of growing big pumpkins.   People who
grow pumpkins to make pies think "good" is different than people who
grow pumpkins to sell for Halloween.  In other plants like for instance
corn "good" might mean that it is extra sweet, grows really tall, and
has a good resistance to drought.  For another corn farmer who has a
different use in mind for his corn "good" might mean, 2 big cobs per
plant, on a shorter plant.  

There are lots of companies that grow lots of different plants and
carefully control the pollination of them.   All of this experimenting
was done by cross pollination or pollenating of females by pollent by
males from a different plant or different plants. They are trying to
come up with new varieties with desirable traits.  The plants have to be
genetically compatable though.  Thats why you can't cross a pumpkin with
a tomatoe for instance.  They have different numbers or types of genes.


A while ago - i am not sure how long- 10-15 years maybe, there was no
such thing as an Atlantic Giant pumpkin.  Howard Dill spent lots of time
experimenting with pumpkins and maybe squash to develop the Atlantic
Giant variety. 
Same with those Jack-be-littles  and white skinned pumpkins a few years
ago those varieties didn't exsist either.  Some people somewhere
developement them.  I wonder what would grow from a cross between a
Jack-be-little and a AG. If someoneis growing both them in the same area
we might find out next year. 

Gordon Tanner
Maple Valley, WA

>Can anyone answer this? Can you pollenate a female  >pumpkin flower
with >a male flower from the same plant ?
>In other words grow a pumpkin with only one plant . If so , is >it
better or worse to use the same plant for pollenization ?
>Pumpkin Flower
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