Pumpkin Production and R&D

In the US, there are more than 200 varieties of pumpkins. There are processing pumpkins for things like pumpkin puree, and then there are, of course, pumpkins for Jack O' Lanterns, which happen to take twice the amount of work, according to Nathan Johanning, commercial agriculture educator with the University of Illinois Extension. He explains why Illinois and the Midwest are prime growing regions for pumpkin production.

“The reason this area was kind of developed into pumpkin production and many other Midwest states is that we have fairly ideal conditions. We have a balance of the summertime heat. We've had plenty of that this year. But we also have very fertile soils, some of the probably the most productive and even in the world, some would say, and with balance with the temperate climate that we have that Pumpkins, pumpkins appreciate and enjoy.”

Johanning says the scientists continue to develop new pumpkin traits like improving color, crop management and overall plant health to keep the industry growing and diverse.

“We also have a plant pathologist in Champaign-Urbana that works exclusively on disease management. Pumpkins are susceptible to main diseases, including powdery mildew and others that can cause things, just the leaves to die and the plant to die. There's things that can cause the fruits to rot and other things. So we're all trying to work so well you can best manage our pumpkins.”

And one last note, Illinois is the number one pumpkin-producing state.