Pumpkin Cultivar Performance in the Southeastern United States

In the United States, pumpkins are culturally significant during the fall, contributing to increased sales and revenue for growers. However, pumpkin production in the Southeastern United States may be challenging due to specific weather conditions and the prevalence of disease and pests. This study evaluated the performance of 12 commercially available pumpkin cultivars through field experiments conducted in Georgia, USA during 2021 and 2022 and in Alabama, USA in 2022. The results indicate that weather was a critical factor influencing key fruit parameters, including the number of fruit per acre, average fruit weight, and total yield. In Alabama 2022, lower rainfall accumulation and elevated temperatures compared with Georgia in 2021 and 2022 resulted in smaller pumpkins and lower average fruit weight. The cultivars with the highest total yield were Duchess (48,623 lb/acre) in Georgia 2021, Kratos (31,919 lb/acre) and Magic Lantern (31,036 lb/acre) in Georgia 2022, and Renegade (33,266 lb/acre) in Alabama 2022. Overall, pumpkins were successfully produced in both states with effective management practices, achieving economically acceptable yields. Our findings highlight the importance of environmental factors and cultivar characteristics to optimize pumpkin production strategies in diverse agricultural settings. Future research should focus on long-term evaluations of cultivar adaptability to enhance pumpkin yields in the Southeastern United States.