This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: This is rather seedy!

At 02:23 16/10/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Help me if you can!
>
>It is now that time of the year when we begin to remove the seeds from our
>pumpkins and start the drying process.I took the seeds from several pumpkins,
>made a few observations and wonder if anyone has any comments. I was lucky
>enough last year to get one seed from the Greer 1006. This seed grew a really
>great plant even in partial shade. The main vine grew to be 26 feet long and
>there were two other primary vines as well. The seed I planted from the 1006
>was a smooth thick brownish seed. I pollinated by hand the 1006 female using
>pollen from the Zehr 1061. I got a pumpkin that was not big (slightly over
>300 pounds) due to bad weather and less than adequate sun. Anyway, the seeds
>in the pumpkin looked just like the one I had planted.
>
>I also grew a plant from the Zehr 1061 seed. This was a small shiny thick
>brownish seed. I pollinated the 1061 with pollen from the 1006. Again the
>vine was huge but the pumpkin not all that large. Also the pumpkin looked
>nothing at all like the Zehr 1061. Rather it was much lighter and shaped like
>the typical Atlantic Giant, tapered. This pumpkin had thin white seeds inside
>and at least three times as many seeds as the 1006/1061. The seeds looked
>nothing at all like the one I planted.
>
>I also grew a plant from a Zehr 1061 seed in another garden. This seed was
>like the first, small, shiny, thick and brown. The female blossom on the 1061
>was pollinated by an Eaton 941. This pumpkin grew to be around 400 pounds
>(pitiful weather and broken water pump) and was brilliant orange. It looked
>much like the Zehr 1061 but smaller. The seeds were smooth, thicker and
>browner than the seed I had planted.
>
>What I am thinking is that the white seeds in the 1061/1006 will not be as
>good as the darker brownish shiny seeds from the 1061/941. I am thinking this
>because the pumpkin itself in no way resembled the 1061 and neither does the
>appearance of the seeds.
>
>I have seen three kinds of Atlantic Giant seeds so far. These are the thin
>white ones, the thick shiny brown ones and the thick light brown speckled
>ones. I am wondering if anyone believes the shiny thick brown seeds have
>better genetics than the others. You guys that grew the really big pumpkins
>this year. Did these come from seeds that were plump, brown and smooth?
>
>Am I losing it????
>
>Marv in Altoona PA 
>***************************************************************************
************
Marvin-no you're not "losing it",I have sometimes wondered too if there is a
correlation
between the various seed appearances and the fruit.I have never keep any
records on this and have not heard of anyone else doing it either.

My guess is that seed color,size,texture,shape etc,is independent of the
fruit characteristics.Overall the AG's are evolving based solely on the
fruit and all other traits are incidental.  

On the other hand,a top west coast grower told me he strongly perferred
white seeds.
 
Al in Richmond,Ontario
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%
                             
>
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index