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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] snake gourd questions -- a few more clues

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  • From: "William H Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] snake gourd questions -- a few more clues
  • Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 10:26:50 -0600

I wonder if there is viable pollen available under the current conditions? It could be that sterile pollen is stimulating some embryonic fruit tissue development, but lack of genetic fertilization limits that development to a berry-like structure. I don’t know a thing about snake gourd but there are situations in other crops where these kinds of bizarre structures occur. If that is what is happening, the berry structure will reach some limit, and the seed will fail to develop inside. The berry/fruit may even show signs of “ripening”. Healthy fertilization of seeds is usually critical to normal fruit development.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

Sr. Research Specialist, Food Crops

University of Illinois - Crop Sciences

St Charles Horticulture Research Center

535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL, 60174

630-584-7254, FAX-584-4610

wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Roots Farm
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 10:15 AM
To: Roots Farm
Cc: Market Farming Community Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] snake gourd questions -- a few more clues

 

Just came in from gourd trellis.  Noted a few flowers that seemed in between the lacy normal and the simpler berry type.   (We have now had a few days with some sun.)  Also, cut a berry open and noted the very distinctive pleasant snake gourd aroma -- faint, but obvious, so possibility of look-alike invader less likely.  (And could not see any sign of alien vine trunks.)  Seeds in the berries don't (yet?) look much like the hard rough and ridged along edge seeds found spaced out in red mush in the mature usual fruit but these berries are obviously very immature.  

 

Thanks all,

 

Karen

 

Roots Farm Organic Produce

Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs

Cochrane, DOMINICA

767-449-3038 (before 7 P.M.)

 

On Feb 8, 2011, at 6:41 AM, Roots Farm wrote:



We grow snake gourd -- not the type which forms a hard shell -- but a culinary type popular in various Asian cuisines.  ....  After a prolonged period of rain upon rain (tough season here), coinciding with lengthening daylight, the vine started prioritizing vegetative growth and setting small green berries instead of the usual elongated shape fruit.  The flowers have changed too -- from the lacy lovely usual flower to a simple looking one more like tomatoes or peppers.  

 

Anybody know anything about this?  I am particularly wondering about cause (day length, rain, cross pollination, etc?) and if it might revert again and if those berries will eventually carry viable seed for edible gourd making plants.

 




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