A field trial was carried out in São Manuel, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the influence of pollen load on fruit and seed production and seed quality of squash, cv. Piramoita. The experimental design was a randomized block, with six replicates of 10 plants/plot and four treatments: half, one or two male flowers, in manual pollination of one female flower and a control, with natural pollination. The results revealed differences not significant among the treatments for the characteristics related to fruit and seed production. Higher quality (germination and vigor) was obtained with natural pollination, while different pollen load did not affect seed quality.
Cucurbita moschata; flowers; pollination; fruits
