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Hypothetical: You have two seeds from a 2000lb John Doe X 2000lb Jane Doe. You plant two seeds under the same conditions, but cut one fruit at 100lbs, while growing the other to 1000lbs. If you harvest seeds from both, will the 100lber seeds be less likely to produce a giant than the 1000lber? In other words, are seed genetics set at inception, or do they change through the life of their "host"?

8/4/2023 9:28:33 PM

Syracuse, NY

The simple answer is no. eg

8/4/2023 9:43:28 PM

Colorado

The genetics are at conception.The seed quality is affected by the health/development of the pumpkin.

8/4/2023 11:09:31 PM

Western NY

The more complicated answer is "maybe".

Epigenetics is a thing, and we don't understand much of it yet as it pertains to pumpkins. Same with seed carried endobiome.

That said, if you don't have your soil tuned up and take care of the plants, those minor differences will not matter.

8/4/2023 11:48:01 PM

Bethlehem CT

Great answers, everyone. The more we learn about plants and how they grow, the more we realize that there is so much we still don't know.

8/5/2023 8:22:13 AM

Prairie Du Sac Wi

Now my brain hurts from trying to learn about
Epigenetics,haha! Thanks Andy!

Sounds to me with Epigenetics changes in gene expression can happen and be passed on without altering the DNA. One study showed Epigenetic changes happening in wheat seeds during different storage times and conditions, so gene expression changes seem like they could also happen in the seeds at any point while in the fruit as well.

So I think the seeds could be very different in the two fruit. The seeds from the 100lber could even grow larger fruit depending what genes are blocked or expressed.

8/5/2023 8:25:36 AM

Bethlehem CT

A friend of mine told me about a year that he used all the biologicals Beneficial fungi, bacteria, etc to enhance his giants. He told me that he believes, the seeds he produced that year carry enhanced traits over seeds other seeds he produced under more conventional agricultural practices.

8/5/2023 8:25:37 AM

Wisconsin

Epigenetics, wow that was an interesting rabbit hole. Thanks Andy, Like I bring a Wolf seed to my patch and sees my environmental conditions and triggers itself to die? Only joking, but does Epigenetics help explain why people do well with there own seed especially from there best pumpkin?

8/7/2023 8:45:29 AM

Western NY

Mike - possibly, yes. But - I think there are bigger factors that come into play first. For example, my 1120 from last year is second generation being grown here. As much as I think it has some potential, I think the 2145 is likely a better seed.

John - I have believed that for a while as it relates to pumpkins. There was a time when some of the top producing seeds were from growers using the Agro-K line of products back in the day. Since then, we've been going even heavier on the biological mix and that very well may be continuing to enhance the seed lines little by little.

8/7/2023 10:55:04 AM