Squash breeding project

[jmsieglaff]

Nice pictures Monty! They look very Lemon-like. Let us know how the flavor is when you eat some.

[luigiwu]

I am excited for the outcome of this project! keep up the good work guys!!

[jmsieglaff]

Thanks for the update Monty! Certainly seems a lot of the genetics at play are not simply inherited. If the F1 is a wild ride what will the F2 bring? Can't wait!

[jmsieglaff]

Wonderful pictures Monty, thanks for sharing! I am truly amazed at the diversity in the F1. Perhaps a knowledgeable plant genetics expert can enlighten us with some theories, but the variability in habit, leaf shape/size, fruit color, etc. just wow. I won't be growing anywhere close to 50 plants, but this definitely makes me put some last minute changes into my 2015 plans. I will grow only 1 Tatume and 1 Lemon for comparisons and the rest will be the F1s. It will be interesting to see flavor differences too.

In picture 8, if you only showed me the bottom of the fruit, I'd guess it was a baby Tatume. If you only showed me the top, I'd guess it was a baby Lemon. I'm excited and will be on the look out in the F1, trying to select for vining habit early in the plant life cycle.

[jmsieglaff]

Monty your posts have given me the itch! Some very interesting results with your cross. Are they Lemon-like or even more bush like in habit? I usually plant my squash seeds around May 15. But the coolest night over the next 7 will be in the mid 40s with a lot of 50s and 70s during the day. So I said what the hell and sowed today. Nothing to lose but a few seeds, I can always resow if the weather goes down the tubes. But my raised beds warm quickly and are warm enough, and with warmer temps coming I sowed sqaush the earliest I ever have. I can cover because I don't grow much because the garden isn't huge.

[jmsieglaff]

Yet another great set of pictures and like your flavor report Monty! Thanks again. Looks like you've got a couple ones to follow that agree with your tastebuds. Have your nights warmed up?

[Stvrob]

Justin. I went ahead and planted four of the F1 seeds you sent me on May 7 and all of them grew. They seem quite vigorous.
Let me know what you want me to note about them as they growout. I was gonna wait till fall because the heat/humidity will be here soon enough, but maybe they have some tolerance?
Anyway, here they are; A, B, C and D:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1432594884.495805.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1432594905.271884.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1432594928.339745.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1432594941.022736.jpg

[jmsieglaff]

Monty how are those squash tasting?

Steve, great to see you've got them in the ground in Florida! They look healthy! I'd be curious if you see the variance that Monty has seen in the F1. I'm also curious to how they do with your summer climate and disease pressures. Tatume (the mother is from Texas/Mexico, so it certainly handles heat, but not sure about humidity).

I've got my seeds in the ground. I sowed an early batch and then filled in with a later sowing. I'm going to be selecting plants in each spot trying to select for vining habit (more like Tatume). I can't wait for these to get going, especially with the variability Monty has seen in the F1.

[Stvrob]

They are growing fast under ideal conditions at the moment. I think I found a spot with few nematodes. If I can get them to climb I might be able to keep them going when the weather turns more Jungle-like in the next month or so. I will try to keep you posted on any variability I see or anything else that might be of interest.

[jmsieglaff]

Great! Thanks again. Obviously if something stands out in production and/or flavor department that would be worth knowing as well. It will be interesting to see if multiple people end up following their own lines how similar or different the endpoints end up.

[Stvrob]

Monty, Is it hot yet? And if so, how are they handling it?

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by monty71466

What is your name? LOL. It's been in the 90s in my GH where the squash is being harvested. Outside, it's in the 80s at times. I can almost guarantee these will not have an issue with heat. I've grown the Lemon in 100 deg weather outside last year, 90s regularly. And, the Tatume is a mexican squash that is prolific in Texas heat from many vids I've seen. Keep sharing your pics sir! Or, ma'am. Hey, don't want to make assumptions.

Monty

I will. Its in the low 90's sunny and windy most days here. Thunderstorm may or may not pop up in the afternoons. Once my zucchini die off (which should be Any day by the looks of them) these four plants from Justin's cross will be the only squash around. Thinking ahead, should I let them cross? Or hand pollinate? I know nothing about genetics but I'd be thrilled to do something potentially useful (other than feeding squash to my family)

I'm Steve by the way.

[jmsieglaff]

Steve,

What disease pressures do you have in Florida summer? Or is it more just heat related? Insect related?

We get powdery mildew in the later part of summer every year here in Wisconsin, especially by early August with warm days and longer, cooler nights at that point. Occasionally SVB issues as well, Tatume will root at nodes, which helps it survive that attack, although my vertical growing negates that advantage. I don't grow a ton of squash, so I do try to screen plants nightly and destroy any eggs if they show up.

As far as pollination, I'd hand pollinate them if possible, which would be the best way to preserve the genetics unique to the cross (in case of neighboring C. Pepo pollen coming in on pollinators) (and in this slightly odd case) the uniqueness of each F1 since there is variability in the F1 (which from my understanding of genetics is typically not the case, F1 generation is often uniform). If not you're not interesting in save seeds and growing subsequent generations, then it doesn't matter. But if you want to, go for it, but don't feel compelled. I will plan on saving seeds from each F1 and growing the F2 of the plant that I find suits my goals the best in 2016.

Monty's advantage of a greenhouse allows him to do two generations in a year (I suppose you could as well being in Florida), but in Wisconsin I don't think it would be enough time to mature the second generation of seed without a greenhouse.

Justin

[jmsieglaff]

Nice Monty! Looks how I would have guessed. What plant is it from (selfed fruit?). I never have matured a Lemon. Do they turn hard or go soft like a cucumber when mature?

I did not eat it (only eaten immature Tatume).

[jmsieglaff]

Nice work, they sure look tasty! Hopefully you find something you like the taste of even better in the F2!

Your grilled squash recipe is fairly similar to mine--I do olive oil, salt, pepper, freshly chopped garlic and onions, hit with some fresh chopped flat leaf parsley as soon as it is off the grill. The addition of a little citrus juice sounds like a good addition. We also make a squash skillet dish that uses cumin and paprika so that sounds really good too.

My F1 ones are growing nicely, although the next few nights will surely slow them down as we're expecting some unseasonably cool weather. Not unheard of, but certainly rare for this time of year.

If you get a chance I'd love to see a picture of the plants habit, etc. When do you expect to harvest the seeds from your fruit and plant the F2?