Vivipary in Cucurbita pepo L. (Pumpkin): An unusual case of Seed Germination within the Fruit
Sk Md Ismail Al Amin1 , Achintya Kumar Samanta2 and *Susanta Kumar Maity3
1&3Department of Botany, Govt. General Degree College, Keshiary (under Vidyasagar University), Keshiary, Paschim Medinipur - 721105 (India) 2Department of Botany, Ramnagar College (Under Vidyasagar University), Depal, Purba Medinipur - 721 453 (India) *Correspondence Id: smaity.bot@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Viviparous germination, the precocious sprouting of seeds while still attached to the parent plant, is an uncommon phenomenon in Cucurbita pepo (commonly known as pumpkin). Observations indicate that vivipary is more likely to occur under conditions of high humidity, extended fruit retention on the vine and hormonal imbalances particularly reduced levels of abscisic acid (ABA), a hormone that normally inhibits germination during seed maturation. Seeds exhibiting viviparous germination often show reduced viability and morphological abnormalities, which negatively affect seed quality and overall yield. During the investigation, ripe fruits were cut into two halves, revealing that some seeds had begun germinating within the fruit while still on the mother plant. Understanding the physiological and hormonal mechanisms underlying vivipary in C. pepo is crucial for improving post harvest management and seed production strategies. The main aim of this study is to document and present the abnormal behavior of seed germination in C. pepo, specifically the occurrence of vivipary.