Have you ever heard about this gardening tip: "Never plant cucumbers next to squash or melons because they will cross pollinate and the fruit will be off-tasting"? Although it may sound logical, this is not true for reasons that relate to the process of pollination and fertilization. A review of the lesson on the "birds and the bees" may be helpful in understanding flowering, pollination, and fruit development in members of the cucurbit family - squash, melons, pumpkins, and cucumbers.
Cucurbits have a flowering habit that is quite unique among the vegetable crops. They are "monoecious", which means they produce separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The flowers are found in the axils of the leaves. The flowers can be easily distinguished from each other as the female flowers have an ovary at their base that looks like a small, immature fruit. In order for fruit set to occur, pollen from the male flower must be transferred to the female flower. Honeybees are the principal means by which pollen is transferred from the male flower to the female flower. (The part of the lesson about "bees".)
Since they have a similar flowering habit, bloom about the same time, and are members of the same plant family, it is logical that gardeners might assume that squash, melons, and cucumbers (cucurbits) will cross-pollinate. Fortunately, however, this is not true. The female flowers of each crop can be fertilized only by pollen from male flowers of the same species. Cross-pollination, however, can occur between varieties within the same species.
For example, cross-pollination can be seen in the squashes and pumpkins. Summer squash, pumpkins, gourds, and some types of winter squash belong to the same plant species,Cucurbita pepo. All varieties within this species may cross with one another. Thus, an acorn squash will cross-pollinate with a zucchini or a miniature gourd. However, muskmelon (Cucumis melo) and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) belong to different species and will not cross with each other or other members of the Cucurbita genus. An example of incompatibility can also be seen in the animal kingdom. Cardinals cannot mate with blue jays despite both being simlar-sized birds. (The part of the lesson about the "birds").
When crosses occur between members of the same species, we do not see the effect of the cross in the first year. However, if the seeds are saved and planted, the plants will produce fruit that will be different from either of the parents. Once in a while, gardeners will allow a chance seedling to grow in their garden or out of a compost bin. The fruit that develops from these saved seeds may appear quite unusual. Occasionally one can guess what the parents were by looking at the fruit and/or remembering what was planted in that area of the garden the previous year. For example, a pumpkin-shaped fruit with greenish bumps on it may suggest a parentage of pumpkin and green-warted gourd.
Gardeners with a small plot need not worry about cross-pollination when planting cucurbits in their garden. Poorly flavored melons or cucumbers are usually due to unfavorable soil or weather conditions, not the result of cross-pollination.
Updated from an article that originally appeared in the August 23, 1996 issue, p. 148.
Each vine crop species keeps to its own kind. Summer squash will cross with each other, but not with cucumbers. Cucumbers will inter-breed, but won't cross with pumpkins. Muskmelons will cross with each other, but not with watermelons.
Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are not in the same genus or species so cannot cross-pollinate. Further, if cross-pollination happens you would see the result of the crossing not on the fruit this year but would see it in the seed produced inside the fruit.
Because various flowers share and mix their genetic information to make distinct offspring, this sort of pollination increases genetic variety. Pumpkins, grapes, grasses, apples, maple trees, daffodils, and other plants are available. Flowers with chasmogamous petals allow for cross-pollination.
The mixing of different characteristics occurs during seed development, and all flowering and cone-producing plants can cross-pollinate by natural or mechanical methods. This happens with plants in the same genus with some more vulnerable than others. It is rare for plants in different genera to cross-pollinate.
Apples, plums, pears, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, strawberries, runner beans, pumpkins, daffodils, tulips, heather, lavender, and most blooming plants are examples of plants that employ insects for cross-pollination.
Answer: Cucumbers will not cross-pollinate with squashes, pumpkins, muskmelons, or watermelons. Cucumber varieties may cross with one another. However, the quality of this year's crop is not affected.
That means they can be planted right next to each other, and gardeners will see no strange effects in the fruits. However, pumpkins and some types of squash can cross-pollinate because they are in the same species.
Cucumbers and squash come from the same family and both need nutrient-rich soil in order to thrive. "Planting cucumbers and squash together increases the competition for vital nutrients and will quickly exhaust the nutrients in their soil," says Spoonemore.
Examples of often cross pollinated crops are cotton, bhendi, sorghum, pigeonpea, tobacco, triticale etc. Transfer of pollen grains from the anther of one plant to the stigma of another plant is called allogamy or cross pollination.
In this process, the pollen grains transfer from the stigma of the same or genetically similar flower. Self-pollination can be observed in legumes such as orchids, sunflowers, peas, peanuts, oats, peaches, potatoes, wheat, and others.
Plant at least two compatible-pollen varieties within 100 feet of one another. Pollination will still occur if trees are planted closer together, and may even occur between trees planted farther apart than this, but, for ideal pollination, up to 100 foot distance between trees is good to aim for.
Summer squash, pumpkins, gourds, and some types of winter squash belong to the same plant species, Cucurbita pepo. All varieties within this species may cross with one another. Thus, an acorn squash will cross-pollinate with a zucchini or a miniature gourd.
Tomatoes are self-pollinated at the rate of around 96% of the time. Tomato flowers are complete flowers that have both male (stamen) and female (pistil) parts within the same flower.
A cross has happened. Tomatoes don't cross-pollinate easily because they usually self-pollinate before the flowers open. However, if a bee arrives loaded with pollen from another variety, a cross or hybrid may occur.
Given the separation of the ear and tassel on individual plants (and considering the vast amounts of pollen transported within a production field), it is understandable why corn is cross-pollinated. Only a small percentage (<5%) of kernels are fertilized by pollen from the same plant.
I regularly receive letters from gardeners concerned that their fruiting vegetables might cross-pollinate, that is, that by growing two types of, say, pepper, squash or tomato near one another, the pollen of one will land on the flower of another. And yes, it can happen … but it's almost never a problem.
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