From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Long Beach, CA

I'm growing two pumpkin plants this year, one AG (495 Reiss) and a Priazewinner. I'm a bit surprized, the prizewinner seems to be growing just as fast as the AG; both have 5-6 leaves right now. Do I have an especially sluggish AG, an especially vigorous Prizewinner, or both? Or will the AG outgrow the Prizewinner once the vines start running?

Oliver

4/25/2005 12:57:42 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

Hey Oliver!
I wish we had your weather here!

I have read from a lot of heavy hitters and others that many of their best plants started out slow, but I would place all my money on the 495 Reiss if I was a betting man!
I don't think you should be worried, although I am a bit surprised that you would choose a seed from a pumpkin grown in a cool climate to plant at Long Beach...?
Best regards,
Michel

4/25/2005 1:23:53 AM

Montoursville, PA

Do not know the AG 495 but my two cents would go on the AG to outproduce Prizewinner hands down...no contest.

4/25/2005 9:10:56 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

There will be no comparing them once fruit is set. Kind of like putting a Dodge Neon and a Dodge Viper side by side. The AG is bred for weight and the Prizewinner is bred for beauty.

4/25/2005 9:10:57 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

The 495 Reiss is an 801.5 Stelts x self. It will grow a beautiful pumpkin.

4/25/2005 9:32:18 AM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

the 495 is michael jordan in elementary school. . .
just take care of him, give him attention, and feed him

4/25/2005 12:00:56 PM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

here is a picture from durham contest
it is the biggest prizewinner next to 7th place AG

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/displayphoto.asp?pid=3162&gid=36
. . .and the 495 should be fairly orange and round!

4/25/2005 1:38:14 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

I've grown both AGs and PWs in the past and according to my observation there is no real difference between both varieties during the vegetative growth stage.
In seedling stage both varieties look the same, in the vine growth stage some AGs will grow a little more aggressively than the PWs but they can also be quite similar.
The real difference becomes obvious when they are in the fruit production stage! The PWs can't hold the candle to the AGs there!

And hey, you didn't tell me that you are growing a PW in addition to my 495. Do you have any specific cross plans for the PW? If not PLEASE do a PW X 495 cross and send me a good amount of the seeds! Sounds like some awesome big, orange sale pumpkins could be the result!!!

Later,
Martin

4/25/2005 2:10:06 PM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

will AG's and PW's even cross??

4/25/2005 2:36:59 PM

Long Beach, CA

I'm glad to hear it's normal for an AG and a Prizewinner to be growing at the same rate at this stage, I was getting kind of worried.

Yes, I was planning to make a 495 X PW cross on the prizewinner fruit. The result should be some awesome-looking and good sized fruit for the offspring, considering your 495's great color. I'll be happy to send you seeds, Martin (:

I'm considering doing a long term project with the 495. I was thinking of selfing it, then growing several of the offspring next year and selfing the ones which display the best characteristics (color and shape). If I repeat this process over, say, 5 generations, I'm hoping the result will be a stable genetic lineage which consistently produces large, good-looking fruit. Does this sound like something worth doing?

Oliver

4/25/2005 2:49:26 PM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

Does anybody know what are the rules for claiming a new variety?
At what point can Oliver name his strain and patent the the seeds and start trying to market?

4/25/2005 4:00:00 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Gary,

Yes, PWs and AGs will cross. They are both cucurbita maxima's. No problem.

I don't think it is Oliver's aim to have a new variety patented but rather create seeds that will produce good looking fruits for his own and his friends' use.

And Oliver,

yes, your ideas make sense to me. "The genetic experts" might tell you that you can't plant as many plants as needed for such a project but don't let you frighten by that.

It made me sick that the 495 (801.5 X self) had only about 70 good seeds in it.
I will do 801.5 X sibb's this year (on both plants) and hope to get a decent amount of seeds this time.
I will also have a 495 plant and cross the 801.5 back into it.

Good luck!

Martin

4/25/2005 4:24:02 PM

New Jersey

Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) - Plant Varity Protection Act and Regulations and Rules of Practice


The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA), enacted in December of 1970, and amended in 1994, provides legal intellectual property rights protection, to developers of new varieties of plants that are sexually reproduced (by seed) or are tuber-propagated. Bacteria and fungi are excluded. The PVPA is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture.

NOTE: The PVPA is available in the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Download free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view/print the document.

A Certificate of Protection is awarded to an owner of a variety after an examination shows that it is new, distinct from other varieties, and genetically uniform and stable through successive generations.

The term of protection is 20 years for most crops and 25 years for trees, shrubs, and vines. The owner of a U.S. protected variety has exclusive rights to multiply and market the seed of that variety.

How to Apply:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/science/pvpo/apply.htm

It lists the requirements, and the fee of course...

4/25/2005 6:47:03 PM

New Jersey

Also, the patent thing is totally seperate from naming your seeds and marketing them... Of course if you have something worthwhile it'd be worth getting protection...

4/25/2005 6:49:40 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Oliver,
I don't know much about breeding, but I've thought about doing the same thing, just with different A.G. genetics.
I would love to have a strain that consistantly produces great shaped and colored pumpkins. A strain like this may be of value in other breeding projects, as you would pretty much know the characteristics the strain would likely transmit. Of course, the more plants you are able to grow out, the better chance of finding the qualities you are looking for.
I'm thinking of contacting a commercial squash breeder, to access their expertise. Maybe someone who has bred buttercup or hubbard type squash(also maxima sp.), and selected for uniform shape, would have some good ideas. I'm not sure how applicable it would be toward A.G.s.
Just a thought.

Doug

4/25/2005 7:12:21 PM