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Re: breeding using seeds from an "unfinished" pumpkin

Brian:
    The genetic material from the parent would still be there. It's just
that  the heredity is unproven in the unfinished parent pumpkin, So the
actual genetics it contained is still unproven/unrealized. This would not
affect the heredity of the seed.
    However, just remember that the "parent" pumpkin did not have time to
show what genetic material it really contained. We are assuming (no offense
meant - I'm just being objective) that this would have grown to a large
pumpkin.
    Regarding the seed; My only question would be regarding the maturity of
the seed. did it have time to mature before frost. If the seeds are viable,
go for it.
    Another quick note: regardless of how super large a pumpkin grows, there
are always environmental factors that contribute to or detract from its
growth. If you are growing the pumpkin just for itself, then its personal
size is "all".
    But just remember, that the seeds resulting from a pumpkin are only half
the genetic material of that pumpkin. Seeds are not a complete duplicate
extension of that pumpkin. That pumpkin is the result of a seed that
resulted from cross pollinating two other pumpkin plants. So that pumpkin
reflects the results of the previous mating, not the complete content of the
seeds, which, hopefully are an improvement on the parent plant/pumpkin.
    If you are short of seed or long on optimism, you should still consider
using seed from well
bred "unfinished" pumpkins especially when you know the seeds are the result
of a cross with a very desireable parent. If the parent stock is pretty
reliable & consistent; the genetic merit could still be present in the
seeds.
TerryLynn Sullivan
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