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British Columbia, Canada

Okay, this was a topic brought up a few years back and I'd like to ask the question again: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=188733

How often do you believe people trade/sell non-authentic seeds, regardless if it was on purpose or not?

Other questions:

-What if a grower mixed up seeds while planting them?
-What if a grower made a pollination error?
-What if a grower sent out the wrong seeds?

Small mistakes can have chain results. Go back into the family tree of some seeds,,,I guarantee the truth is different than it appears.

1/2/2013 5:24:29 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

It has happened before, probably still does from time to time.

The last three questions are academic. "What if" is a quantity that can't be known or measured. It's like worrying "what if the Mayans were only off by a few weeks?"

When in doubt, throw em out. If your seeds come from a trusted source, work hard and enjoy your season. That's all the control we have.

1/2/2013 6:31:48 PM

Johnston, Iowa

I have a comfort level about receiving legit seeds and correct genetic info. I feel like this is something the vast majority of us are committed to.

1/3/2013 9:18:36 AM

England, essex

i have trust in all the people i have dealt with in the pumpkin world.
that cant be said for anything else in the rest of my world!

we all have to allow for a little human error?
if in doubt,,, grow your own

1/3/2013 11:20:09 AM

Colorado

Trade or buy from who you trust.Ive never had a single problem with a "seed switch".Were a small world as growers-any funny business would taint ones reputation forever.

1/3/2013 12:30:29 PM

Germany

Apparently, the first question (trading of non-authentic seeds) was of greatest importance to those who sent a response...and I agree with the comments which point out that the best way of obtaining seeds is getting seeds from trustworthy sources, i.e., from the grower or from a club (in a seed promo package or from an auction). In those cases the seeds come from the grower and the grower is interested in others growing that particular seed. Interestingly, I haven´t seen comments on your other questions:

-What if a grower mixed up seeds while planting them?
-What if a grower made a pollination error?
-What if a grower sent out the wrong seeds?

1/3/2013 1:14:20 PM

Germany

What if a grower sent out the wrong seeds?...That would mean the grower used the wrong label on that seed (can´t imagine that something like that would happen on purpose...and I´m sure growers treat their seeds like their own babies, and therefore pay alot of attention when it comes to packaging and labeling). Minimum risk (IMHO)!

1/3/2013 1:14:50 PM

Germany

To the first two "what if"s: Oh yes, this can happen again and again, and it doesn´t cause any troubles (again: IMHO). Why? Pollination error (pollen from the wrong plant) or seed mismatch (fruit and/or pollen from the wrong plant) still produce a representative seed stock. Every seed has its own genetics, and therefore a 1161 x 1385 isn´t like another 1161 x 1385 cross, and within one 1161 x 1385 cross one seed isn´t like the other. First of all, every new cross isn´t proven and may turn out to be good or bad (i.e., with a high or low percentage of great seeds in the seed stock). Now imagine you wanted to make a 1161 x 1385 cross...you mismatched the two seeds (would make it a 1385 x 1161 cross), and by accident you took male flowers from the wrong plant (which maybe makes it a 1385 x 991 cross). (...and if the 991 hadn´t been the authentic seed, then it might be the 1385 x XYZ BLOODYNEWBIE cross.) Whatever cross it is, it isn´t a proven seed stock yet. Now let´s go a step further: 20 people grow the seeds, get 15 pumpkins 1200++, and more and more other people ask for the seeds...and you send them your 1161 x 1385 cross (which actually would be the 1385 x 991 cross)...where´s the problem? There´s no problem at all! They didn´t ask for the numbers on the label, they asked for a seed from the cross which you had called your 1161 x 1385 cross, which had grown 15 1200++ pumpkins out of 20 plants, and exactly this is what they get.
Would it make a difference to you if you found out that your grandfather isn´t your grandfather? You would still be the same person you had been before, because you still have the same genetics as before, your performance (at work, at home, in the patch etc.) will still be the same, your crosses (mum x dad) will still reflect the same diversity, no matter if the one you call your grandfather actually is your grandfather or (on purpose or by accident) someone else brought the g

1/3/2013 1:15:01 PM

Germany

Short version summary: Let´s imagine that one piece in the pedigree puzzle of the 1725 Harp hadn´t been authentic and now there is a noname entry in the 1725 Harp ancestry...would that make any difference? The 1725 Harp seed stock is what it is...SHRINKING LIKE HELL!

1/3/2013 1:15:07 PM

Germany

...oops, three lines up I lost the end of the sentence, which should have read "...brought the great genes into the cross which eventually became YOU"

1/3/2013 1:18:49 PM

Central Minnesota

Survival of the fittest...If a mistake would be made and the seed it was mixed up with is junk, it fades out of circulation very fast. Look back on History, seeds that don't produce, don't get grown. However, if the mistake yields a giant, well it could carry on, but then most growers would be happy. In the end, it is not about the seed...but about what the seed grows.

With that said, I am very careful to only grow seeds from growers I know put the same time and effort I do into protecting the genetics of a seed.

1/3/2013 2:29:17 PM