Moscow, Aug. 14 (SANA)A Russian gardener has grown agiant pumpkinestimated to weigh about 360 kilograms, setting a personal record as he continues his pursuit of increasingly larger crops.

Alexei Isakov, a gardener from Berezovsky inRussia’s Ural region, grows the Atlantic Giant variety in his home garden and has steadily increased the size of his pumpkins over several years, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported Thursday.

Isakov’s earlier pumpkins weighed about 40 kg, 76 kg and 96 kg, while two he grew last year had a combined weight of about half a metric ton.

His latest pumpkin is growing on a 100-square-meter plot and is estimated at around 360 kg using a specialized measurement formula. Its exact weight has not been confirmed because no suitable scale is available.

Isakov said heavy rainfall poses a risk to the giant pumpkin because rapid growth and excess water can cause the fruit to crack or burst.

Once it stops growing, he plans to cut up the pumpkin and share it with friends and acquaintances.

Despite its size, Isakov’s pumpkin remains well below Russia’s record of 960 kg, set by Alexander Chusov from the Moscow region.kA.ABD