In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:

This isn't the first time I have seen this on cucurbits, and it seems
to be highly correlated with the source of the seed. I suspect a virus
in the parent plant, as it has happened to saved seed as well, but why
have they then seemed to recover.

http://imgur.com/kTRrnx3.jpg
http://imgur.com/OsYRN8s.jpg

Isn't this just fasciation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciation)?

Yes. But that's what it's called, not what causes it!

Can viruses to be transmitted through seed? I thought that was how
breeders got away from strains of plants with viral problems, BICBW.

Yes. Some viruses do not pass through the seed, but many do, and
the most reliable way of removing viruses is micropropagation from
the apical meristem. It's regrettable that recent governments have
favoured mammalian biology so much over plant biology, because that
mechanism might cast light on defences against viruses and cancers.
I suspect that a similar mechanism has caused the secondary shoots
on my plants to develop normally.

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I am still lost to know what
caused it, but am interested to hear how widespread it seems to be.
It may well remain 'just one of those things'.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.