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Connecticut

I have gotten an overwhelming amount of feedback from growers that used my “Anthesis” product this year. I will be writing articles and showing graphs for a variety of newsletters, but I have more information than most newsletters have for space, so I have decided to do a weekly question and answer posting to address some of the common questions I have received. My initial thinking is to post about once a week to give everyone something new to read about until the New Year.

**The very short summary for those that cannot wait is… Those that followed the directions had some very positive comments and results.**

Top-10 Average Pumpkin weight of Anthesis applied pumpkins = 1819.85 pounds! (Bigger than any single weigh-off’s top-10 average)

Advanced orders for “Anthesis” are planned to start January 1st, 2016 and run only until March 15th, 2016. I will have the information and instructions on how to order as an advertisement on the homepage for the month of January, 2016. Even though this is not a commercial product, and I am not making very much per application, since I am using this website for promotion, it is important to acknowledge this great resource that is available and not simply take advantage of the free platform that is easily accessible here. I have been in talks with Ken and want to set an example of not freeloading on Ken’s great site.

I will be answering one of the following questions weekly (or so) on the message board and welcome feedback and any additional comments/questions. This will, hopefully, be a way I can try and summarize the overwhelming response I have received from growers. I did the initial research on Anthesis and now have a data set, and I want to personally thank everyone that provided feedback so that I can ensure I have supporting data.

11/6/2015 7:07:30 PM

Connecticut

Below is a list of the 8 questions I plan on answering over the coming weeks.

*If you have additional questions you would like answered, please post them so I can compile the information that I have to provide you with a data supported answer whenever possible.*

Questions to be Answered:

1.-Will Anthesis-treated pumpkins favor going heavy? (Does enhanced cell division influence wall thickness?)
2.-Will an application of Anthesis increase (or decrease) the odds of fruit set?
3.-Why are Anthesis applied pumpkins smaller at day 20?
4.-What is the late season growth pattern for Anthesis applied pumpkins?
5.-Will my seed count be changed with an Anthesis application? And how does the product affect the genetic potential of my seeds?
6.-Why do I have to keep the brown vials frozen and the blue ones at room temperature?
7.-Why is there a shelf life to the (premix and post mix) product?
8.-Why are there only advance orders taken? What happens if I need some “in-season”?

11/6/2015 7:07:43 PM

Central NY

What was those top 10 growers average last year w/out product?

11/6/2015 7:41:59 PM

Marion, Wisconsin

I can't wait to see the data. I'm kind of an info geek so this is exactly what I would like to see when it comes to new products. Thanks Matt D. !

11/6/2015 8:09:52 PM

Connecticut

Porkchop-

I took all the growers weights from last year and one grower's pumpkin was missing so I substituted Beni's 2323.7 World Record in its place to ensure the worst case substitute was added. The top-10 average for the growers without the product in 2014 was 1289.28 pounds or 530.57 pounds less than this year with Anthesis.

Matt W-

The data has been very interesting to look at and a big thanks goes out to all the growers the sent me their data. Even though I am maintaining my unbiased scientific approach, the results are better than I could have hopped for.

If anyone thinks of a good question(s) that I did not include be sure to add them to this thread so I can include them on my list.

11/6/2015 10:28:19 PM

East Jordan, MI

For the people that reported using it, how did the one(s) with anthesis applied compare to one(s) without?

11/7/2015 9:26:12 PM

Central NY

Wow

11/8/2015 7:36:33 AM

Connecticut

cntryboy-

My newsletter articles will have some graphs included in them that will show the difference in growth curves between treated and untreated (control) pumpkins. I am giving newsletters the first chance to publicly share this information and then I will be posting the same graphs during January of 2016. However, I did get permission from these two growers to use their quotes that may provide some indication of the answer to your question...

“I will say the Anthesis treated pumpkin was still growing, where the other fruits slowed way down.”- Andy Box

“The Anthesis treated pumpkins that I had growing grew better than anything I ever had.”- Allen Brady

Porkchop- I agree;-) The data shows a clear shift in growth rates with the end of the season being key to achieve maximum pumpkin size. The quotes from the two growers above certainly provide a good indication that I am on to something special.

11/8/2015 8:51:41 PM

Connecticut

Tconway-
The correct spelling is “Ethylene” and it can have three main effects on plants. The most commonly associated effect is speed ripening of fruits, and this is true when it is applied later in development. This is why fruits ripen quicker when placed in a brown paper bag as this concentrates the natural ethylene that is produced by ripe fruits.

Ethylene can also induce gynoecious female lines in cucurbits (such as pumpkin plants) used mainly in hybrid seed production when applied to plants in the 1-5 leave stage.

The key part to my research is 48-hrs. after pollination is when fruits produce their naturally highest ethylene levels. The reason why this timing of application is so important is I am only looking to extend the natural signal. Also, please see the attached link to my presentation I posted last winter for further explanation. Specifically you want to look at slides #34-42

The Science Behind Anthesis:
http://www.team-pumpkin.org/downloads/IncreasingCellDivisionsmaller.pdf


MellowPumpkin (Josiah)-
Thanks for not only trying my product this year but sharing your results. I also appreciate your kind words as no one knows the extremely long time I spent researching this topic with mostly dead ends, but through a continued effort I finally have something that is doing what I think we need to improve pumpkin weights. Your idea to pollinate on June 1st is interesting and I think Anthesis should help keep your pumpkin growing as close to the weigh-off as possible. The theme from growers is consistent with your observations that Anthesis applied pumpkins are growing right up to the weigh-off. This was something many had not seen before, so the ripening delay of Anthesis is being documented by many growers. See my above reply to Tconway for the reason why the ethylene is so important. If you have any additional questions just let me know.

11/12/2015 10:48:54 PM

Connecticut

*above post goes with this thread...

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=556660

11/12/2015 10:51:22 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

With later season fruit gains, are surface fracturing and splitting expected?

11/13/2015 1:54:30 PM

Connecticut

Garden Rebel-

Since Anthesis is working on the cellular level early on in development I do not think that later season growth would have any more surface cracking than expected. From what I have observed some seed lines simply tend to crack more than others and and Anthesis should not influence this tendency. As a pumpkin ages I think the tendency of the cantloping texture increases but there is not necessarily a correlation with Anthesis.

11/13/2015 4:56:38 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Q. With the claim that the fruit has longer to grow, does Anthesis have an effect on final color? Example, a fruit turning deeper orange, will it have more time to turn?

11/16/2015 6:04:41 PM

Connecticut

CliffWarren-

You bring up an interesting question and while I do not have any data, I personally do not think there would be much of a color influence. There were orange to white pumpkins grown so Anthesis did not cause any alterations in color. However, because of the noticed continued growth up to the weigh-off growers have commented to me that they are favoring pollinating earlier next year since they can now get an older pumpkin to continue to grow. This would impact the color slightly simply because the pumpkin itself would be older and have more days in the field to mature.

In short, Anthesis will not affect the color, but the change in grower practices (earlier pollination) as a result of Anthesis, could impact the final color.

Hope this helps.

11/16/2015 11:04:20 PM

Indiana

Matt,
I have been unable to really look much at any of this yet, but if I understand correct, you had 10 sets growers with and without the product?

Thanks,
Tom

11/25/2015 1:42:36 PM