How can pumpkin be more effective to the local people in the Philippines? Would people who prefer low fat foods like pumpkins as a part of their diet since it is very low in calories? Do the poorer kids in the Philippines get enough healthy snacks made out of healthy vegetables such as pumpkins? Are there good reasons why not many people are growing pumpkins? What are the Filipinos’ views on pumpkins these days? Can pumpkins or the seeds of pumpkins affect the health issues in the Philippines?

Pumpkins grow upwards attaching itself to a strong support. So, if the people in squatter areas raise pumpkins, it will grow to their rooftops which are left vacant. If it grows up onto their rooftops, it will be a shield to the strong sunbeams, or to the raindrops falling from the roof leaks. After few months, the pumpkins will mature, and then it can be a source of earning money through selling them, and the rotten leaves can be used for fertilizers to grow a new set of pumpkins which will give more people work to do. If there are leftovers from selling them, it can be cooked for children who are starving and it will be a healthy snack for them. Pumpkins are not just for the poor people, but also for those who are troubled by obesity. Pumpkins are very effective for diet because it is low in calories, but high in minerals and carbohydrates which will bring serotonin which makes people think that they are full when they only ate a little bit.

The initial purpose of this project will be to research more about the growth of pumpkins in the Philippines and make a new low-fat recipe using pumpkins. The project will be based on the observations of actual pumpkin growth, information on the pumpkins from the scientists and farmers, and interviews with people in squatter areas and with those who are already growing pumpkins. The goal of this project is to help the Filipinos get better food full of nutrients, and through researching, and it is hoped that there will be a better chance for people to know what to do to save the environment of the Philippines.

table of contents...

Biology

Common Names and Synonyms

The word pumpkin originates from the word “pepon” whose Greek meaning is“large melon.” As time went through, people in France slightly changed the word to ‘pompon’ which the English later changed into “pumpion.”  Then the American colonizers changed the name into ‘pumpkin’ which we now use.

Pumpkins are part of the species called Cucurbita pepo. There are different types of pumpkins, and they can be referred to as Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata which is all part of the family Cucurbitaceae. The name pumpkin in Tagalog is kalabasa. In Korea and Japan, the translating word to “pumpkin” refers to an ugly person.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae (plants)

Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)

Class: Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)

Order: Cucurbitales (gourds)

Family: Cucurbitaceae (gourds or cucurbits)

Genust: Cucurbita (gourds or fruits with edible seeds)

Species: C. pepo (squash, gourd, and pumpkin)

table of contents...

Morphology and Physical Description

Pumpkins have thick tendrils that stretch out to the ground. The tendril’s section is composed of pentagons, and has gray hairs growing out of it. The tendrils grow upwards attaching themselves to a support. However, some of the pumpkins that are newly improved don’t. The long flat leaves branch off into five sections, and grow alternately. The flowers bloom from June until there are frosts. It is easy to distinct between the male and female flowers because male flowers have long stems, and female flowers have shorter stems. There are five petals in a flower, and it is bright brown. The size and the color of the fruit vary according to the type, but it is mostly, orange, brown, green, or blue. The stem of the pumpkin is in the shape of a pentagon, and it is piled with a few layers which make it look like wood. Especially, the part where the stem is connected to the fruit is expanded.

Pumpkins are quite big compared to other squashes, and when they mature, the skin becomes brown or dark orange. An average-sized pumpkin weighs about 8 to 9 pounds. According to the observation of one of the members in New England Pumpkin Grower’s Association (NEPGA), a giant pumpkin weighs about 827 pounds.

The orange, thick layer inside the pumpkins is what most people use for cooking. The pulp itself is hard, but since it tastes good before it even matures, it is used for foods. The inside of the pumpkin is hollow because all the seeds are stuck onto the thick layer. The seeds of pumpkins are edible, and it is covered with a hard, grayish-white layer. Inside the hard layer, it is covered once again with a cuticle-like clear layer. The actual seed itself is bright yellow on the inside, but has green cover outside just like an egg yolk.

Additionally, many people in Europe grow giant pumpkins that weigh a few hundred kilograms and compete against each other for prizes for the largest pumpkin.

table of contents...

Getting Food

Just like all the other producers or autotrophs, meaning self-feeders, pumpkins need sunlight energy, water, good soil and many other things to mature. Pumpkins go through photosynthesis, which is the cycle of absorbing carbon dioxide, and producing oxygen. If there is a good environment, then there would be no problem in growing pumpkins. It may seem as if it’s growing very well at first, but there will be greater chance of growing healthier, rich pumpkin if you use fertilizers.

There are few requirements that all plants including the pumpkins need in order to get their food. “All vegetable plants and many flowers require large amounts of sunlight. Hydroponically grown vegetables like those grown in a garden, need at least 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight each day to produce well. Artificial lighting is a poor substitute for sunshine, as most indoor lights do not provide enough intensity to produce a crop.”1  Water is another requirement that plants need for their growth. If there is not enough water, the plants’ root will dry out, which eventually, will kill the whole plant. The quality of the water is another important factor. If the water is high in salt, it will result in nutritional imbalance and poor growth in plants.

Reproduction

Pollination is the main factor used for reproduction in pumpkins just like all the other plants. A pumpkin plant produces female flowers with ovules, or eggs, and male flowers with pollen. All the plants need the uniting of an egg and pollen for reproduction. Whether it is pollinated by human or bees, or even butterflies, once the pollen and egg unites their DNA’s meet to produce a new gene. Then, the gene decides the color, the size and the shape of the product.

During the seed maturation of pumpkins, “the vacuolar processing enzyme is selectively localized in the dense vesicles as well as in the vacuolar matrix. This indicates that the vacuolar processing enzyme is transported to vacuoles via dense vesicles as does IIS globulin, a major seed protein. During seed maturation of castor bean, an increase in the activity of the vacuolar processing enzyme in the endosperm preceded increases in amounts of total protein. The enzymatic activity reached a maximum at the late stage of seed maturation and then decreased during seed germination concomitantly with the degradation of seed storage proteins.”2 

Environmental Factors

Temperature is one of the most important factors that affect the growth of pumpkins. Temperature influences the plant in photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, germination, and flowering. There always should be a favorable temperature in order for the production of the pumpkin. When the temperature increases, photosynthesis, transpiration, and respiration increase. Generally, warm-season plants such as pumpkins germinate best at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if the temperature is too cool, neither the flowers nor the fruits will set.

One of the threats in growing pumpkins is diseases. There are two most devastating diseases, and one of them is powdery mildew, a white, powder-like bacteria. This disease happens to occur in many other plants like cucumbers, and it is transferred by insects. When the temperature gets humid and hot, this bacterium thrives into plants and eventually kills them. The other kind of disease is called “Bacterial Wilt.” When this disease gets into the plant, the leaves of the plant will become brown and wilt. There are no known cures for these diseases, so the best way to prevent is to take an action before hand, or take the infected plant out.

table of contents...

Origin and Distribution

The pumpkin plant originated in Central America to the tropical area in the northern part of South America. In Asia, pumpkins are mostly harvested in the east, from humid area to the northern tropical areas.

Nowadays, Pumpkins are distributed to all around the world for different purposes such as agriculture and ornamental sales. Out of all the continents, Antarctica is the only continent unable to produce pumpkins. United States, Mexico, India, and China are the biggest international producers of pumpkins. “Although native to the Western hemisphere, pumpkins are cultivated in North America, continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India and some other countries. The pumpkin is the state fruit of New Hampshire.”3 

Importance to People

Pumpkins include nutrients such as carbohydrate, protein, vitamin and mineral. Carbohydrate is the source of energy for biological functioning, it helps the digestive system, and it contains the aspartic acid which isn’t very important for human, but it is for animals and plants. Pumpkins also contain carotene which indicates the effect of vitamin A and vitamins C. Vitamin A’s are good influences in different parts of human body such as: vision, regulation of gene expression, immunity, growth and development, red blood cell reproduction and nutrient interactions.

It is not just the fruit of the pumpkin that is good, but all parts of the pumpkin, including: the leaves, stem, tendrils, and seeds are edible. These are also used for medicine because it is rich in carotene.

In China, they have discovered that there is an element that can substitute for the insulin which cures glycosuria, in other words, diabetes. For this reason, pumpkins are used in many countries including the Philippines.

Also, Philippines have a huge gulf between the rich and the poor. To reduce this gap, poor people needs to get a better source of income. Pumpkins can be a great source of an income. And also, since it is high in nutrients, it can raise the health level of many individuals.

Survivability and Endangered Status

There are a lot of plants that are endangered of extinction. The pumpkin isn’t one of those plants, but there always is a possibility because it is imposingly exposed to diseases and dangers.

The tension should never be lost, and there should be a better care for pumpkins. There are many types of conservations and restorations going on around the world to save the plants from extinction. “Sustainability of plant use and generally sustainable living is ultimately necessary if we are to ensure the long-term conservation of all our natural resources. At present we do not properly value the many benefits of our natural resources, so our activities tend to deplete and degrade them, even though they are essential for human-kind’s survival and well-being.”4

table of contents...

1 James C. Schmidt. “Requirements for Plant Growth.” < http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/html_pubs/hydro/require.html>

2 Nagako Hiraiwa, Yuka Takeuchi, Mikio Nishimura and Ikuko Hara-Nishimura. “A Vacuolar Processing Enzyme in Maturing and Germinating Seeds: Its Distribution and Associated Changes during Development.” 17 August. 1993. < http://pcp.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/34/8/1197>

3 “Pumpkin.” 20 April. 2008. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin>

4 “How to Save Plants - Approaches to Plant Conservation.” December. 2001. < How to Save Plants - Approaches to Plant Conservation>

Potential Solutions

 Many people in the Philippines have suffered with malnutrition because there is not enough food that has enough nutrition. Pumpkins are full of Vitamin A, which is helpful in different parts of a person’s body such as eyesight and blood circulation. Also, it has varieties of elements that level the balance in your diet. On the other hand, many Filipinos don’t have jobs or any source of income. There are a few possibilities that can solve these kinds of problems in the Philippines.

Possibility 1

Help Filipinos grow pumpkins on their rooftops

Rooftops that are empty are perfect places to grow pumpkins because pumpkins climb up the walls to grow, and many houses in the squatter areas have empty roofs. Also, there are many people who don’t do anything in there houses, some people because they couldn’t get a job, and some people because they are in difficult situations. In second Thessalonians 3:10, it says, ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ There is a reason God gave people their bodies, and it is to work hard, but many people don’t use it in a good way. Growing pumpkins on the rooftops will be a perfect chance to give people jobs or works to do.

Advantage

1. People who don’t have jobs will have something to do that is actually prosperous.

2. In the process of growing pumpkins, people wouldn’t just see how it grows, but they will realize the wonderful creations of God.

3. When the pumpkin matures, the growers can actually harvest it, and use it for food. Many children in the Philippines are suffering with malnutrition, and home-grown pumpkins can be a perfect source to their insufficient nutrients.

4. If the grower has a good product, they can go out to palengke, or Filipino street markets, and sell it, which will increase their incomes. In palengke, there are people who sell mixed vegetables chopped up in a plastic bag, and that is one way to sell grown pumpkins.

Disadvantage

1. Since the Philippines is hot in weather, the rooftops will be heated by the sunlight. If there isn’t a good care, the pumpkins might dry out which will undo all of the hard works, and waste the money that has been spent in it.

2. People might not have enough money to purchase pumpkin seeds that are sold to grow pumpkins. And if they do purchase the seeds, they might not have a good environmental postulate.

table of contents...

Possibility 2

Make easy recipes for snacks

It is not easy to prepare snacks that are full in nutrients everyday in different ways for kids. Especially, it is very annoying if someone’s appetite is very sensitive. The pumpkins are widely distributed through out the Philippines, but it is true that not many people know how to prepare it for snacks. If people get to know easy recipes, they will be able to get out of their pesky daily lives of making different foods.

Advantage

1. Almost all people prefer something that is easy, especially, if it’s for cooking. If it is easy to make, people will be able to do it in a short amount of time; even children can cook it themselves. The easy recipes wouldn’t bother much people, and after all, people will taste rich pumpkin snacks that is full in nutrients.

2. There are lots of people who want to lose weight, but it is true that there are lots of rich foods that tempt them to eat. Exercising is the best way to lose weight, but if pumpkin is consumed together as you exercise, it will strengthen the body and help lose the weight because it is low in calories, but high in nutrients.

3. Since pumpkin itself is pretty big, it will take two or more days to finish eating one pumpkin.

Disadvantage

1. The local people in the Philippines might not have enough money to purchase enough of other ingredients used in the snacks.

table of contents...

Possibility 3

Teach Filipinos how to cook pumpkins for snacks (Action Step)

Pumpkins are widely distributed through out the Philippines, but not many people know how to prepare them for snacks in an easy way. Little kids in the squatter areas don’t get enough nutrition and pumpkins can be a great source to their nutrition. Also, since pumpkin itself is pretty big, one pumpkin can be used for few different snacks or you can even keep it for a few days.

Advantage

1. Many people will get enough nutrition just by eating the snack.

2. Many people are suffering with hunger in the squatter areas, and those people can get away from hunger for quite a while just by one pumpkin.

3. Many Filipinos, including man, woman, children, and elders, can enjoy different kinds of snacks.

4. Cooked pumpkin is very good for people who are on diet. Pumpkins don’t add much calories or fat into our bodies, so it is fine to eat for snacks.

Disadvantage

1. Some people may not like the taste of pumpkin because it doesn’t have a strong taste to it.

2. Since it is full of carotene, if you eat too much, you might turn yellow.

3. People might not have enough money to purchase other ingredients.

For my action step, I taught the Filipinos how to cook easy snacks by using the easy recipes that I invented as it said in possibility 2. The snacks I made are: mashed pumpkin, pumpkin fries, and pumpkin spread. Below are some of the responses I’ve got from the Filipinos.

For this step, I invited 15 mothers who are living in the squatter area to help me, although as time went by, more children came than the adults.

Because this step was done outside, I couldn’t bring all of the ingredients outside, so I used my laptop to give more specific directions on how to cook each of the snacks.

I first, showed them pictures for each steps of cooking, then gave the prepared food so that they can taste it, and give their opinions on how they think about it.

Mashed Pumpkin

Reasons:

Good because it’s soft and the cheese mingles well with pumpkins.

Bad because it is not so sweet.

Fried Pumpkin

Reasons:

Good because it’s small and easy to eat.

Bad because it’s too oily, and not sweet.

Pumpkin Spread

Reasons:

Good because it is sweet, and the mayonnaise blends well with pumpkin.

Bad because there isn’t enough taste to it, and it is not so sweet.

Besides the responses listed above, I asked a few other questions to the Filipinos living in the squatter area in Padilla, Antipolo.

*How many people in your family have jobs? In average, only one or two people had jobs in the total of seven family members.

*How many kids have malnutrition? Out of 20 kids, there were 17 kids who were suffering with malnutrition.

*What do you think of growing pumpkins on the rooftops? Everyone showed positive opinions to this question.

table of contents...

Bibliography

“Environmental Factors Affecting Growth- Light, Temperature, Water and Nutrition.” Oregon State University.

<http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/botany/heat.html>

Higdon, Jane. “Vitamin A.” Micronutrient Information Center. December 2007.

<http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminA/>

Hiraiwa, Nagako. Takeuchi, Yuka. Nishimura, Mikio and Hara-Nishimura, Ikuko. “A Vacuolar Processing Enzyme in Maturing and Germinating Seeds: Its Distribution and Associated Changes during Development.” 17 August. 1993.

<http://pcp.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/34/8/1197>

Holland, Joel. “Estimating Final Pumpkin Size During the Growing Season.” New England Pumpkin Growers’ Association.

<http://www.bigpumpkins.com/nepga/ViewArticle.asp?id=21>

“How to Grow.” Pumpkinnook. 24 April. 2008.

<http://pumpkinnook.com/>

“How to Save Plants- Approaches to Plant Conservation.” Securing Plant Diversity.

<http://www.bgci.org/conservation/about_conservation/>

Ki Ryong, Ban. “The Effect of Pumpkin.” Online Posting. 1 March. 2008.

<http://blog.paran.com/bkr0200/24900728>

“Nutrition.” Pumpkins and More.

<http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins>

“Poland Pumpkin.” Naver News. 22 September. 2007.

<http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=108&oid=091&aid=0000427288>

“Pumpkin.” SamNa. <http://www.samna.co.kr/abcd/koa166.htm>

“Pumpkin.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 29 April. 2008.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin>

“Pumpkin History.” Pumpkins and More.

<http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/history.html>

“Pumpkins.” Oyoon EnCyber. 17 July. 2007.

<http://www.oyoon.com.ne.kr/flower/flwr_summer/hobak.htm>

Romano, Zenaida G. Personal Interview. 25 April. 2008.

“Safe Cooking for Blood Vessels.” DanMi Chosun. 11 April. 2008

<http://danmee.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/04/10/2008041001211.html>

Schmidt, James C. “Requirements for Plant Growth.” Hydroponics as Hobby.

<http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/html_pubs/hydro/require.html>

“Substitute Matter for Insulin in Pumpkins.” Health Chosun. 10 July. 2007.

<http://health.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2007/07/10/2007071000403.html>

table of contents...