headless jaune flammee

the999bbq · June 19, 2011

I like jaune flammee a lot. That much that I forgot to sow it (the obvious) but a collegue-amateur passed me a spare plant.

Funny plant, grew some fine large clusters and than stopped .. no head.

No problem I said, I'll keep that sucker and promote it to the new main leader. It showed its cluster and ... stopped. It kept a sucker for me already which, of course ... stopped ;-)

Is there something I can do about this (other than not save seed from it ;-) ? Is there a name for this behavior ?
It is going to give me "headaches" I think, forming all those clusters at the same height, do my prayers each day that it doesn't stop forming new suckers, ...

dice · June 19, 2011

That could be a soil imbalance (calcium-magnesium and apical meristem
necrosis):
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/con...ent=a905878407

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meristem

There are other deficiencies (molybdenum, copper, etc) that can
cause apical meristem necrosis, as well as some plant diseases:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...zwbtdDGLMA5djA

And, finally, it can be a genetic defect in the plant.

the999bbq · June 20, 2011

thx,
would the meristem necrosis show leasions of some sort or is this "premature death" : gone before creation. The plant looks normal and healthy in all (other) aspects, planted deep and with soil preparatoin (compost, some organic fertilizer, ...) as the other 41 ... (as well as the surrounding cucumbers, melons,...)

**carolyn137** · June 20, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by the999bbq

thx,
would the meristem necrosis show leasions of some sort or is this "premature death" : gone before creation. The plant looks normal and healthy in all (other) aspects, planted deep and with soil preparatoin (compost, some organic fertilizer, ...) as the other 41 ... (as well as the surrounding cucumbers, melons,...)

If all your other tomato plants are looking OK then I'd say a genetic defect. it's a variety I got from Norbert, in Hellimer, France in 1992 and is a favorite of mine and I sent seeds long ago to quite a few commercial places as well as Listing it in the SSE Yearbook and also offering seeds for it here at Tville in my annual seed offer for several years.

I agree with you that I would NOT save seeds from it and actually the shape of the fruits that you show are not what I would expect for this variety. But you've grown it before so do you think such an elongated shape is correct?

the999bbq · June 20, 2011

when I look back at the picture I see what you mean; if this will be their ultimate shape I would have to say no, that's not the jaune flammee I used to grow myself (almost perfectly round, intermediate sized orange balls), but I did not notice it that much 'in situ' (maybe they outgrow the elongation maturing?? - they are still small, for reference, the hose is 2cm). When I see the relatively large clusters I would say yes, that's what I expect jaune flammee to do.
The collegue I got this plant from grows them from seeds started from a plant I gave him a few years ago and he grows outdoors so maybe there is a chance on crossing (from my generation or any of his).

definitely one to go on the 'get fresh seed' list for next season than because it's a very good one. but not saving no, enough good seeds in the community.

The rest of the greenhouse is in perfect shape I might say, my new passive watering drip is doing a fine job, the weather isn't (too hot during the day too cold at night in april, and june is not much better hardly touching 20°C and still dropping to 10° at night sometimes, and we are just having the first real showers of the season). Strange season...

dice · June 20, 2011

Usually you can see some blackened tissue right at the growing tip,
until it falls off, when there has been some non-genetic cause. I have
had pill bugs eat them, where you can not see anything because the
growing tip is simply gone, but if a new growing tip develops on a
side-shoot, then the plant grows more or less normally.

We have all had mule seedlings at one time or another, where the
seedling develops a true leaf or two but no growing tip. This could be
something similar.

June 19, 2011	#1
the999bbq Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 191	headless jaune flammee I like jaune flammee a lot. That much that I forgot to sow it (the obvious) but a collegue-amateur passed me a spare plant. Funny plant, grew some fine large clusters and than stopped .. no head. No problem I said, I'll keep that sucker and promote it to the new main leader. It showed its cluster and ... stopped. It kept a sucker for me already which, of course ... stopped ;-) Is there something I can do about this (other than not save seed from it ;-) ? Is there a name for this behavior ? It is going to give me "headaches" I think, forming all those clusters at the same height, do my prayers each day that it doesn't stop forming new suckers, ...

June 19, 2011	#2
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	That could be a soil imbalance (calcium-magnesium and apical meristem necrosis): http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/con...ent=a905878407 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meristem There are other deficiencies (molybdenum, copper, etc) that can cause apical meristem necrosis, as well as some plant diseases: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...zwbtdDGLMA5djA And, finally, it can be a genetic defect in the plant. __________________ -- alias

June 20, 2011	#6
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Usually you can see some blackened tissue right at the growing tip, until it falls off, when there has been some non-genetic cause. I have had pill bugs eat them, where you can not see anything because the growing tip is simply gone, but if a new growing tip develops on a side-shoot, then the plant grows more or less normally. We have all had mule seedlings at one time or another, where the seedling develops a true leaf or two but no growing tip. This could be something similar. __________________ -- alias