Reduction of the cost involved in hybrid seed production of pumpkins (Cucurbita mixima Duchesne)

Comparisons are made between the labour intensive, high-cost techniques used at present for hybrid seed production in Cucurbita maxima (pumpkin) and a simple, effective, but much less expensive, alternative based on Ethrel (2-chloroethyl-phosphonic acid) application. Treatment of the female parental line at the two and four true leaf stage with Ethrel 48, together with natural pollination by bees, reduced the labour input by 90% and resulted in the production of high quality hybrid seed.