Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

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

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Allan.Balliett" <allan.balliett AT gmail.com>
  • 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 12:02:00 -0500

Bill - How many bee visits does it take to make a cucumber? (the kind that need pollination, that is) -Allan in WV who think size does depend on bees

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
<mailto:wshoemak AT illinois.edu>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.)
<mailto:karen AT rootsfarm.info>karen AT rootsfarm.info

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.


_______________________________________________
Market-farming mailing list
Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming

Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/
Unsubscribe from the list here (you will need to login in with your email
address and password):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/market-farming





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page