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Grittyville, WA

I have a few growing from last years seed. This year I already noticed stem splits on one that had stem splits last year and vine rot on one that had vine rot last year. These are not terribly common problems for me so it stands out that the plant that had each of these problems last year passed the exact same problem on to the next generation. These plants had other good traits so I gave them the benefit of the doubt about the bad traits... Now I'm seeing they did not deserve the benefit of the doubt in my patch they are certainly passing these traits on. Just thought it was worth sharing... Its an eye opener for me and this will affect my estimation of the value of a plant as a pollinator.

7/4/2018 9:16:07 AM

Hadley Ny

I have the same issue but mine is the main and secondaries like to Y and you have to choose which to keep. Selfed the plant last year and same Ys on the main and secondaries this year. Will not use as a pollinator and will see how many nice dark orange kins I can grow on it. Will just self it and see what happens. If I get a bunch of kins for beer money I'll be happy.

7/4/2018 10:03:40 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Stem splits could be genetic, but vine rot sounds like disease. If you don't like a genetic trait, use a different seed next year. Diseases like vine rot are usually in the soil. Try rotating your patch, use a mustard biofunigation cover crop. Follow that with a Daikon or tillage radish that has similar disease fighting properties and loosen up the soil.

7/4/2018 12:23:46 PM

Grittyville, WA

I had only one plant with a vine rot issue last year that I saved the seeds from. And its progeny is the only plant to have a vine rot issue this year. Another plant in the same hill is healthy and the location is different. The only thing the same is the lineage... But yeah I can keep trying to breed the bad traits out or just start over, with other seeds.

7/5/2018 2:26:50 AM

Syracuse, NY

nnyyeahhhh, just grow my Gerrys every year, lol---

7/5/2018 4:22:55 AM

stoughton WI

Vine rot may not be necessarily a genetic trait, the seeds you may be using may possible be diseased, im not saying that they are but with out testing you can not know for sure. In my understanding if seeds are diseased (again I'm not saying they are, it could be an outside factor) an A.G. seed coat is to thick to kill all the disease in it, if at all with out destroying the seed itself.

7/5/2018 9:53:27 AM

Boscawen, NH

Alternaria leaf blight, Angular leaf spot, Anthracnose, Bacterial leaf spot, Gummy stem blight (aka black rot), Fusarium crown and root rot, Phytophthora blight, Verticillium wilt, and Cucumber mosaic virus are all considered to be seed borne diseases. This means that if the seed you are planting came from a plant that had one of these diseases you might be introducing that disease into your patch. Disinfecting the outside of your seeds with bleach or peroxide will not eliminate the disease. Best not to use seeds from a plant that was diseased.

7/5/2018 10:56:02 AM

Grittyville, WA

Yes diseases passed from the parent plant to the seeds would appear to be a genetic susceptibility when its really just bad hygiene or virus genes. Good tip and will keep my eyes open for this...

7/5/2018 11:35:53 AM

Syracuse, NY

pumpkin seeds come out of a chamber that is pretty much air- and water-tight; are y'all sayin' that if the plant has any of the above, if i plant a seed from that pumpkin 400 miles away in a laboratory, the lab plant will have the plant's disease(s) as well?

7/5/2018 4:01:50 PM

Boscawen, NH

The diseases that I listed are all identified as seed borne diseases by Cornell. All of those diseases can run through the vascular system of your plant and if they are doing that as your pumpkin is developing seeds then your seeds are at risk. This is the reason why most countries ban seeds being shipped in from other countries unless they have been certified as disease free.

7/5/2018 5:01:01 PM

Syracuse, NY

news 2 me, thanks!

7/5/2018 7:02:37 PM