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Eddyz@efirehose.net

From the lack of responses and or questions, have you all had your fill and should we stop???
Russ Landry know more about plant science than most and is willing to share but we need input as to what you want to know or hear

2/17/2016 6:34:35 PM

Marion, Wisconsin

How about natural hormone signaling in plants and how our fertilizing and foliar feeding effects hormone levels before and after fruit set.

2/17/2016 7:42:06 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Nowhere near ready to stop Eddy!

Plant science might just be outside the box for some like myself.

I'm still struggling with how much to water.

2/17/2016 7:46:43 PM

Is there any one type or source of nitrogen that is better than the rest ?

2/17/2016 8:23:21 PM

Nd

Could we discuss what effects the color and shape of the pumpkins/squash.

2/17/2016 8:32:35 PM

Are nutrients better absorbed by the roots or foliar ?

2/17/2016 8:34:17 PM

Sissonville wva

do you feel that all the selective breeding being done for a specific trait will eventually hurt or help the ag genepool

2/17/2016 9:10:33 PM

Sissonville wva

can you explain in simple terms cec of the soil and why it is so important

2/17/2016 9:19:22 PM

San Jose California

How much/often foliar fungicides can be sprayed on leaves?
Thinking they are much harsher than the organic teas/fertilizers.

2/17/2016 11:20:42 PM

Newcastle, CA

Going with shudder's question above, does temperature play a roll in absorption by roots or foiler.. Example if it is hot, high 95+ for July/August are nutrients still absorbed through the leaves, I have heard "as hot as it gets around here foiler feeding does not really work for us" Is there any truth to that?

2/18/2016 12:30:06 AM

Massachusetts

Russ, any more information on "far red light" ? I would like to try it this year on a mater plant or two.

2/18/2016 2:44:13 AM

Central Illinois

Do you use a micronutrient fertilizer if so is it daily ,weekly or monthly

2/18/2016 7:57:46 AM

Ireland

Has anyone looked into the sequencing the genome for the say the top 50 pumpkins and if so is their any correlation between the arrangement of the various base sequences and the percentage heavy of fruit or any other trait of note?

2/18/2016 9:28:45 AM

Ireland

How much is too much Mycorrhiza?

2/18/2016 9:32:51 AM

Sissonville wva

is it correct that leaves will absurb more nutrients from the underside and if so can you explain why.

2/18/2016 11:19:09 AM

Onawa,Iowa

Maximizing Co2 Levels in Greenhouses, Hoops, ETC from small to large from day one. Excess Humidity Levels effect on growth positive or negitive

2/18/2016 12:03:55 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Russ, 1) Regarding your website discussion on cell division, did I understand correctly, that in addition to terminating secondary vines, you advise terminating the main vine?

2) When saying to withhold kelp before pollination, does "before" mean a couple weeks? or from transplant? What is the time frame? And please explain, again, the purpose.

Thank you!

2/18/2016 12:19:28 PM

Vermont

I have reviewed some gene lists for Cucurbita species, especially watermelon and pumpkin/squash and a significant number of genes have been described for a wide array of traits, and their expression as either dominant or recessive. However nowhere can I find details for genes related to fruit size, density, or their expression characteristics. Has anyone in the current literature found fruit size/density related genes in cucurbits? If so could you talk a little bit about the findings and the source? If not do you have an educated guess how many genes could be involved and if they might be dominant or recessive?

2/18/2016 2:33:25 PM

Ireland

Are we not killing the endophytes by applying pesticides?

2/18/2016 7:00:01 PM

sevierville, Tn

Can we make the fruit sink stronger without eliminating competing sinks ? You talked about sink strength in Orlando and i wondered if you had any further thoughts or research on this. Thanks

2/18/2016 8:50:17 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Do you see any reason why we can’t use a spray mixture rather than a dry mixture when we bury vines?

2/18/2016 10:43:37 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

What is your view on trimming of the Tendril should we or shouldn't be done?

2/18/2016 10:50:18 PM

Colorado

Russ can you suggest a pruning strategy/pattern growers might try on AG's to maximize apical dominance/ max sink on a main vine set fruit.hypothesis/Strategy would be say minimum of 500 square feet to have enough plant to keep feeding the fruit to world class weight.

2/19/2016 1:17:43 AM

Nd

How long does it take for mycos and azos to colonize the root and start to become a beneficial to the plant? At what point in the season would you stop inoculating the roots with them?

2/19/2016 6:04:48 AM

Nd

How can watering practices, hormones, soil fertility effect the shell of the pumpkin, specifically what can we do to reduce the chances of BES and sag lines.

2/19/2016 6:22:14 AM

Nd

I had a green squash that turned brown/bronze and eventually blaze orange on the top. What happened here. It was weighted at GPC weigh-off and declared ok, then displayed until Halloween in full sun.

2/19/2016 6:37:41 AM

Can plant pathogens be controlled with enzymes in soil and as a foliar spray ?

2/19/2016 8:04:39 AM

Muddy Waters

Do you feel root depth plays roll in the plants ability to fight the heat.Say we water heavy & most of the roots are in the top 4 inches of soil? Would it be better to have them grow deeper for heat resistance in the July & August growth.

2/19/2016 3:21:51 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

Has anyone yet begun to analyze the microbiology in the soil (ratios of one type to another, diversity of species, etc) from different patches in different soil types, and how much influence it has on plant health and fruit weight?

2/19/2016 6:28:18 PM

Minnesota

When did you grow your first giant pumpkin? What seed did you use? How heavy, what made you want to keep trying to grow a giant pumpkin.
What other favorite vegetable or fruit do you like to grow?
Do you have a favorite fertilizer you prefer? Manure, compost, seaweed etc?

2/20/2016 12:57:19 AM

Marion, Wisconsin

What are your thoughts on the use of paramagnetic material to balance high organic soil?

2/20/2016 8:56:39 AM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Can one put electromagnets on the blossom end of the fruit to draw in metals and make it bigger and stronger?

2/20/2016 10:11:12 AM

Corbin, KY

Hello Russ

Please explain how the Xylem transports nutrients in the plant.

Please explain how the phloem transport nutrients in the plant.

What are Amino Acid ligands?

How can we get calcium into the phloem and translocated into the fruit?

What results can we expect to see in pumpkins, tomatoes, and watermelons by getting this calcium into the fruit?

Thank You
Tim

2/21/2016 4:28:57 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Eddie and all, I have been compiling the list with answers as best I can. I will try to all questions and post them in the chat room.

Please keep them coming.

Kahuna

2/23/2016 11:12:11 AM

Vancouver, WA

I've heard growers talk about the need to use boron throughout the growing season and it usually says to add some with my yearly soil tests. Can you explain the importance/needs of this element in the growth of AG's? Thank-you Steve H.

2/23/2016 11:49:33 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Kahuna’s, Little know facts.
My family’s farm was originally in Dexter Michigan, on North Territorial Rd near the shooting range. I have many memories of Dexter and the farm. MY grandmother ran a small store outside of town about five miles. I have always been a Canadian though.
Q: When did you grow your first giant pumpkin?
A: 2002 I believe
Q: What seed did you use?
A: Home Depot store bought Dills AG.
Q: How heavy?
A; 198 pounds.
Q: what made you want to keep trying to grow a giant pumpkin.
A: I remember coming around the garden corner one morning coffee in hand to check my meager fledgling plant. The birds were singing and Elmo my dog was close by strutting behind me. That first pumpkin had a 15 pound day. I literally good not believe something could grow so fast I was hooked instantly.
Q: What other favorite vegetable or fruit do you like to grow?
A: I like my Maters and squash have always been good to me.
Q: Do you have a favorite fertilizer you prefer?
A: Amino Acid blends. Manure, compost, seaweed are great along with Humic acid in moderation of course.

2/23/2016 1:26:13 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Steve. Well was Ron of that Taberna fellow who said it best if Ca is the truck than B is the driver. You really need to be care full B has a very narrow range of toxicity in the soil. That is to say it does not take a whole lot to stifle growth. So do not add without a recent soil test.

2/23/2016 1:32:30 PM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Do you know of any ways to manipulate miRNAs and their role in regulating phase transitions? Thus extending the fruit development phase?

2/24/2016 10:17:33 AM

Ontario, Canada.

I am not aware of any approaches that have been used to manipulate miRNA expression in pumpkin plants during fruit development phases. However its highly likely that there maybe Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) directed programs existing in other vegetables. It seams logically to be the next step to further enhance yields.

Natural Antisense Techniques are what I'm focussed on at the moment. Methods of inhibiting the activity of certain genes using ethylene is crude GMO from a purely science point of view. So I'm of little help to you.

As a targeted method of disrupting this process, scientist's have transformed plants with reversed, or "antisense" genes. The antisense strategy has been used by plant breeders in the past to increase yields.

2/24/2016 1:49:11 PM

Ontario, Canada.

When one compares what this collective in the commonwealth has accomplish in the last 20 years or so its really rather remarkable.

We have almost tripled maximum weights for AGP in that time. Would I be out on limb here in saying we have out done what any GMO program could accomplish. With all there bells and whistle's they huff and puff but the GMO's take a back seat to AGP Growers.

The science here is in manmade selection for breeding Size & Weight alone is incredible. I mean for god sake I say to the corporations an universities of the world.

Offer the GPC 50K in prize money each year for the largest & heaviest ear of corn. In 20 years growers will return with an ear that grows at double or more in size and weight. This could literally save millions upon millions in research costs. Epigenetics is astonishing when its actually put to use. Heritable changes in gene expression that does not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence are what seed auctions are all about.

Not rocket science just hard work by humans boost nature naturally.

2/24/2016 2:31:47 PM

Waynesboro, Virginia

Terra Preta soils discovered in the Amazon.My research tells me that we are incapable of identifying all the microbe interaction going on or even all the microbes themselves.I would love to just hear someone knowledgeable as yourself opinion on what you may think is going on there.Specially regenerative ability (as has been reported) of the soils.May be the million dollar question but the unique properties of these soils has held my curiosity for years.

2/24/2016 5:32:18 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Terra Preta or Bio Char as we know is about carbon and porosity. Elevated CEC is the chief reason many growers are turning to it as an option to improve soil fertility. It can and certainly does rejuvenate soils by acting as an easy storage resource of redilly exchangeable plant loving nutrients. Much like humid acids terra preta holds onto nutrients that can often be leached from parent soils. It is stable in form and long lasting.

One quick note that can be overlooked by growers. Over application of high CEC compounds in the patch can lead to sequestration. So you must remember it is simply not a fertilizer it's an amendment the requires some form of supplementation to be effective. This can be simply adding nutrients such as OM or topping up the patch by becoming a bit of a moron.

However when adding amendments & supplements time is natures critic. The longer you wait to grow in a new patch the better it will be in the long run. Flora & Fauna must be allowed to cycle through and use what you provided it to eventually spread out the resources.

2/24/2016 10:11:35 PM

Waynesboro, Virginia

Terra preta's capacity to increase its own volume—thus to sequester more carbon—was first documented by pedologist William I. Woods of the University of Kansas.[12] This remains the central mystery of terra preta.
The native people there dig this soil and sell it.They dig down and leave at least 20 cm. and over time the soil is replaces itself.I would just like to hear anyones thoughts on this.Any thoughts at all would capture my interest.Thank you for your responce.

2/24/2016 10:41:47 PM

Vermont

In your opinion what percent of the weight gains achieved in the last two decades is due to genetics/epigenetics, and what percent is due to new techniques/products/and better more intensive plant care?

2/25/2016 12:00:39 PM

Vermont

By breeding mostly for size/density/color while maintaining intensive spray programs are atlantic giants becoming increasingly disease susceptible?

2/25/2016 12:07:42 PM

Ontario, Canada.

So well this is where I often run off the rails. I have never been a big believer in the genetics relhm. However this is not to say that each year we aren't capturing a few positive mutations. I'm more in the camp of the genes being already in place. But the studies of the past due in fact point to genetics affecting xylem and phloem architecture. Of course we have all seen what orange genetics do but is this merely enhanced expression of the fruit.

I wish we knew. There is not a clear answer here. There are some indications that nurture plays a larger roll than we give it credit. I mean there is a reason Ron is a three time champion. Certainly to say to him you had good genetics would be an insult.

So I truly believe we are somewhere in the middle of this premiss. Clearly since the explosion of the Internet 2o years ago the Information Age has transformed grower in ways not thought possible. Networking, the explosion of clubs and competitions all play a huge roll in Aguirred technical knowledge.

So, I lean to the side of nurture over nature. I doesn't mean we can't say genes and mutations don't play a role. IMO they just very much harder gather evidence and quantify.

Gene expression brought about by revealing the true epigen of AGP's through a growers untiring hands and mind is far more likely. We must remember that with seed we fling into the we in-naturally selecting the best of the best Mother Nature puts forward. So we are picking each year plants that already have these genes enabled. That not selection info a specific new mutation. Its merely picking the biggest fruit that already the genetic make up to thrive in a particular patch.

2/25/2016 10:28:55 PM

Ontario, Canada.

With epigenetic change, the DNA sequence stays the same and alterations in behavior, health, size, and all sorts of factors happen just because DNA gets packaged or expressed differently.

In many cases, epigenetic changes are activated by some change in the environment – typically something stressful. Now you know why I keep harping on how important it is to reduce plant stress. The problem with AGP's is the life cycle is so short (150days or so) that as stress acumulates
Epigenetic factors become unrevesable.

2/26/2016 5:39:24 AM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

At the 2014 convention Russ gave his version of the cell division / expansion phase of plant development. Did any of the Canadian/other growers attempt [2015 season] his version of cell division/expansion, if so were any positive results reported?

2/29/2016 6:06:30 PM

Austin MN

What are your thoughts on using hormones to help aid plant growth.

3/1/2016 3:01:25 PM

Austin MN

What can I do if my P levels are sky high?

3/1/2016 3:02:00 PM