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3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA ([email protected])

Hi all!!
question that I have is this...When does the traits of the pollinator plant show in the fruit when it pollinates a particular plant?? Is it in that particular fruit that it pollinates or does it wait until the next generation to be really apparent. Sorry if this question is confusing but I was told by someone at work that you won't see those pollinator traits until the next generation of fruit is set from the seeds of the original fruit that was crossed. I know this sounds weird...maybe someone understands what I'm asking I hope!! Thanks again!! Erik

10/17/2010 11:25:14 PM

Northern California Foothills

They are correct. The pollinator's traits will only affect the pumpkin's offspring.

10/17/2010 11:43:00 PM

El Paso TX.

The male will have nothing to do with the current crop of pumpkins - the genetics of the pumpkin that will grow off of the plant is already in the seed that you planted, the genetics of the male will combine with the genetics of the female plant and produce the seeds inside this years pumpkin and effect the outcome only in future generations. In other words the pumpkin is a part of the female plant and only the seeds inside of it are offspring of the mother and father.

10/18/2010 10:05:57 AM

Colorado

On paper the pollen(choice of male) shouldnt affect the growth of the pumpkin.However,I'm not so sure its not a factor some times.

10/18/2010 12:56:28 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

Someone recently posted a thought about the seeds inside several of their pumpkins (from several different plants) being unusually large, and the only thing all of those pumpkins had in common was the pollinator (I believe it was the 1725 Harp). So I think it's conceivable that the pollinator could have an effect on seed size, seed shape, etc. but not on any outwardly visible characteristics of the pumpkin. That being said - what if the pollinator also had an effect on the seed count? Could that have an impact on the size of the seed cavity? If it did, you would think the weight of the pumpkin would be impacted in some way.

10/18/2010 1:15:32 PM

British Columbia

I started to post something to this discussion and then stopped but now that I see the point being brought up I'll give my two seeds worth.
Genetics show up in the following generation. A man's genetics doesn't change his wife's body or vice-versa, but it is the children that show the cross between the two parents, we know this. (I know - how large does a woman get when she is pregnant and is this affected by the male "pollinator"? gets complicated,)
Question, when does the next generation start? If the next generation starts with the seeds, which are in effect that next generation, then we may be able to increase the size of the current fruit. If the seeds are larger the fruit is bigger. But 200 or 400 seeds at a few grams each aren't going to give me 1800 lbs next year. But, could the fruit grow larger and take up more nutrients and create more flesh in an attempt to protect, feed and assure the success of those seeds? This seems to be natures way to some degree.
Actually measuring this and proving it to be fact might be rather difficult. I suppose a data search of past heavy fruit and their pollinators might reveal something but it would be complicated and I am not a statistician.
If we look at common vegetable hybrids it is an old story that the high yielding crops don't (necessarily) give high yielding seeds but are the results of specific crosses.
Corn and its seeds (crop) might be a good example of how this is all works.
Thoughts?

10/18/2010 2:36:11 PM

3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA ([email protected])

That's kinda what has been on my mind too!!! Do fewer and larger seeds necessarily mean a larger fruit??(The closet scientist in me has also been pondering the same questions)I am happy that you all have answered my original question. Even though its hard to understand the WHY of it!! I guess sometimes the answer to a question just leads to more questions!!haha. Something I'm definitely think about when I'm up in my treestand!!thanks again all!! Erik

10/19/2010 12:34:31 AM