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San Diego

double mutations, tendencies, or whatever you want to call them seem to be everywhere. Where is our hobby headed in 10 years if we keep inbreeding so much with just a few high named seeds? So far this year, out of 8 plants started by me and my friend, 5 of them went majorly double with fused vines and leaves everywhere, one went normal with double tendencies on and off through out the season so far, and another is showing double tendrils at 18 inches, we'll see what it does. Mine were all 950 boyton plants, the others we from different seeds. It's getting real hard to grow a completely "normal" plant these days:)

5/20/2005 3:39:05 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Seems like I have been lucky then.... last year I grew 6 plants and not one was mutant.
In fact, in all my years of growing AG pumpkins (since 2000) I have only had 1 mutant plant (a 940 Mombert in 2001), all others have been normal.
It's still early to tell for this year but so far it looks like I again have no mutant plant.

Just good luck?

Martin

5/20/2005 4:56:39 PM

Key West, FL

10 plants, and no mutants, (knock on wood)

5/20/2005 5:54:01 PM

San Diego, Ca.

I've got to wonder if it isn't too much inbreading within the same gene pool of about a dozen or so different plants.....Isn't this sorta like pumpkin incest? ;-)
Just as people shouldn't be making offspring within their own family line because of possible deformities (among other things) I wonder if the same applies with pumpkins.

5/20/2005 8:34:42 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

If inbreeding were a problem, then I'd think other open pollinated maxima sp. squash would have mutation problems. O.P. Hubbards and Buttercups are highly inbred, I would think, and I haven't heard of any mutation problems with these. Or doesn't this comparison hold water?

5/20/2005 10:28:42 PM

Chico, Ca

I think it is just that great san diego water.

5/21/2005 9:59:40 PM