From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Nj

More Pollen = More Seeds = More Pumpkin to protect the seeds?

3/10/2004 2:00:51 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

probably

3/10/2004 3:09:03 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I dont think I agree with Carlos on this one...There has been many a heavy pumpkin with very few seeds. Some pumpkins produce a lot of seeds other very few.

3/10/2004 4:45:33 AM

[email protected]

See the 1131 Checkon. Largest fruit of all the Lloyd/Mettler apogs. Yet no seeds. Some feel a fruit lacking seeds might disrupt the hormonal signaling processes & cause the fruit to weigh heavy to the charts.

3/10/2004 7:21:27 AM

I've been curious about this subject. Had two pumpkins from the same plant last year. One had less than 50 seeds and the other had less than 100. Does it mean anything other than some pumpkins have fewer seeds?

3/10/2004 8:14:37 AM

Udine, Italy

For several kinds of fruits it is known that seeds inside the fruit produce hormones that increase size of the fruit (ex. Kiwifruits, strawberry). About pumpkins, may be that some fruits became very big with very few seeds because hormones level is enhanced by seaweed extracts or organic matter of the soil that contains substances similar to vegetal hormones.

3/10/2004 8:38:09 AM

huntsburg,ohio

Theory been around for years.Jerry

3/10/2004 11:26:27 AM

Technically, a fruit is produced only to protect the developing seeds inside of it. Pumpkins have been bred to be big, but bigger fruit don't equal more seeds, so I don't think more seeds equal bigger fruit either.


IMO....the number of seeds developing is even associated with the size of the pumpkin. For example, there are many tiny undeveloped seeds inside pumpkins. The pumpkin stopped growing, but these seeds didn't finish developing. Why?

The size of the pumpkin is due to genetic factors: the cross of the seed that it was grown from. the number of ovules produced is also due to the the genetic cross of the plant. the pollen compatability is due to the genetics of the pollinator plant. the amount of seeds produced from a given cross is due to the number of ovules and the number of pollen grains that fertilize them. the quality of these seeds is due to the compatability of the pollen and the ovules that created them...the genetics of the NEXT generation. Did I just confuse anyone? I think I confused myself!

3/10/2004 1:44:03 PM

Montoursville, PA

Briggett........I absolutely agree with four or more of every one word you said. ]:O)

3/10/2004 5:29:40 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I would guess that the number of seed sites inside the young pumpkin is determined before pollination and that if the sites aren't there in the first place no matter how much pollen you use you wouldn't get any more seeds.

3/10/2004 5:42:51 PM

C N Y

i think it would be neat-o to pollinate a "junk" pumpkin,
like a shock-absorber pumpkin, on only one little spot of the stigma, and keep track of it and when it comes time to cull it off, make note of what happens---yes, the seeds will be on the same side and so forth as the pollination site, but what about the fruit's development, such as misshapen because of the incomplete pollination?---what if it was pollinated on each lobe of the flower, but only using a TINY amount of pollen???
maybe do this with an experimental plant, using varying degrees and locations of pollen usage....this might be a good example to see if the # of pollen grains and seeds within and so forth really DO have an effect on the size of the fruit. okay, now, EVERYBODY do this on all of yer MAIN plants! and i'll see you at the weighoffs....
every single one! mmuuuhhaaahaaahaaahhaaahaaaa........
i am SO kidding....(wish i didn't hafta say it!) 'pal2

3/10/2004 8:11:41 PM

those experiments sound fun. OK tom and nic, why don't you two get on that! this subject has so many "if's" that i don't know where to begin....

3/10/2004 9:18:10 PM

Nj

What's the most seeds ya seen in an AG???

3/10/2004 10:47:14 PM

mcminnville oregon

what about super sibbing??? i may have as many as 5 local gardens growing the famous 676? within 10miles? if i could visit the night befofe??? i could collect prime buds for morning pollination??

3/10/2004 11:34:09 PM

Amherst, WI

About the time my 778 pounder split in mid August last year, I noticed that there was a soccer ball sized pumpkin growing on the main vine. It was about 20 feet out and was pollinated by the bees. I let it grow and it got about 400 pounds or so. When I took out the seeds, I noticed that there were quite a bunch, so I counted them...822 mature looking seeds in there. The bees do a better job of pollinating that I do.

3/13/2004 11:19:35 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

What famous 676? Is there a 676 that has proven itself as famous? I'm confused...

3/13/2004 12:03:09 PM

mcminnville oregon

the 676 is only famous in my niehborhood? as a first year grower it was my largest??? 676= 955 larue x 981.5 wilson. good genes!! its also being grown by reletives in essex england??? so i think that makes it world famous??

3/15/2004 10:53:20 PM