Re: AG THOUGHTS what else

 

Richard J. Noffke wrote:

Roger and Broc:

Great threads to talk about here......I love this stuff!

My take on this genetics issue is quite different, and I guess I'm kind of
part of the minority in my view.   In my limited genetic exposure at school
I formed the attitude that the most "promising" strategy of plant breeding
was the controlled use of inbred lines.    Without a doubt the greatest
drawback of growing AGs now is the lack of consistancy in the seeds of a
given cross.   We're looking at less than 10% of the seeds from a really
good cross being truly really good seeds.
 

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Rick and all keen pumpkin observers,

This a great subject to get my jaws flaping well fingers smokin

You are on the right track..Rick....and don't give up!!................A couple of years ago had two seed companies come out to the farm  to see what their custormers were doing.........I was shocked as we are the mighty midget of organic farms............4 acres...a mere speck of dirt.....but  they came anyway................in talking they mentioned ,what they have to do in their seed breeding ..................they have to find a place and pay gardeners and farmers not to plant certain things they are breeding in order to keep the lines pure...................only with pure lines can you make reliable seed.  With this reliable seed you can eliminated some of the bad traits we don't like.  That alone is one hell of a contribution!!  Now  here is what I think...............................I think AG are extremely "environmently sensative" and perhaps most plants are. But when I make crop decisions I have to choose a variety that does "well "in my neck of the woods...............I could have great luck with a variety of cucumber and it is so proific and wonderful................so you try it there in WI and you think it stinks you don't get the same results.....was it the seed??........so when you get a reliable seed that consistantly hits 900 in WI.............can you pass it out and everybody hits a 900.........I don't think so.........that alot of the variabiles are environmental and cultural.  An area can have better climatic conditions  for that season and all of a sudden the weights are climbing with all different AG seed stocks.  Soil types and fertility, water............daylight.....all these play a major role in the weight of a pumpkin.  So it is for this reason I think that weight is going to be the hardest thing to get to be a reliable factor...........where as color, vine, stems,somewhat shapes( iffy due to poor pollination) can be controled with selecting and inbreeding.................but weight and size will still be governed by outside forces...........other than seed....................heres another wild thought Rick  that i think ing adds to the variabilty and size of AGs...........its health of the soil and roots.......... are some great seed stocks being hindered by disease..............root rots that we can't see until it is extremely obvious...........these AG are phenominal growers and would imagine the roots grow like wildfire...........but suppose they get hindered by disease they pop new roots and it continues to grow  but as a collective root system it doesn't  ever amount to much thus popping your average size ......................... appearing as thou the seed was to blame.  Rick one of the most frustrating parts about crossing pumpkins is when you "do it "the pumpkins are the size of a walnut and you don't know how they'll turn out.......and get totally bummed that you have a great looking pumpkin and you just crossed in some unforseen aweful characteristc from another.  So a reliable base pumpkin is extremely valuable........................and my point is to beginning growers is it isn't just the lucky magical seed that makes the whooper ...........each year it changes , first your in awe seems like a fairy tale to grow a 400lb..pumpkin.., second your in awe you did it again. third you want 500, forth you want700 only to be denied, Now your real hungry..................and each year what made your pumpkin get bigger?  You probably did more to prepare, you listened more, you added to your technique..............you didn't just leave it up to the seed................also if you notices that blossom ends are thin and the stems split..........just say NO.....and don't plant or pass that seed out!!...smokin fingers brock ....wet ,cold  winters here ........how do you spell relief......AG
 

......a question just popped in my head has the most what we call "reliable" seed 567 mombert............ever hit a big one up in Canada??.........

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