seed germination inside tomato

[mohoghead]

I have never seen this happen before. these are store bought tomatoes on a vine. any explanation is appreciated. [/IMG]

[Darren Abbey]

Many modern store-bought tomatoes have a gene called RIN (Ripening Inhibition) and will remain green until they've been exposed to ethylene gas. Ethylene gas is the natural hormone used by the plant to trigger ripening and the RIN mutation inhibits the fruit's ability to produce the hormone.

Because of this, the fruits can sit in storage for an extended time and then be ripened just in time to be put out at the grocery.

An unexpected consequence of this process seems to be the seedling issue you note. When fruit/seeds initially grow, the plant makes hormones that inhibit seed germination, but these hormones break down with time. The longer the RIN tomatoes sit in their green state, the more likely the seeds are to wake up once you get the red tomatoes home.

There are research papers out there about the RIN gene and ethylene, but I'm not sure if any address the seed germination issue.

[4season]

I have had pumpkin seeds sprout inside a freshly harvested naked seed pumkin, but have never seen it happen a tomato.

[Darren Abbey]

If you were to grow some of the seeds from the variety, you would get a bunch of hard green tomatoes that would never ripen on their own. They will store well and you could ripen them on command by placing a few bananas with them. Bananas use the same ripening hormone and produce a large excess of it into the air around them.

This would be the perfect long-storage tomato, so long as you could get some bananas from time to time.

[jmsieglaff]

Return them to the store, see what they say.

[mohoghead]

Thank you for the response, I passed it on to my friend, definite wake up call for her, and bolstered my argument about growing your own and canning for the winter.

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by mohoghead

Thank you for the response, I passed it on to my friend, definite wake up call for her, and bolstered my argument about growing your own and canning for the winter.

Especially if your friend has any doubts about how to can safely, don't forget roasting/freezing as a way to preserve tomatoes. We use it more than canning, now.

We began because there often weren't enough tomatoes ready at the same time to can -- at least not when there was time to can. Roasting/freezing works with whatever quantity you have, is more forgiving about tomatoes that aren't right at their prime when you want to process them, substantially reduces the freezer space needed to store them, lets you package the quantity you want per package more easily, and saves great tasting tomatoes.

This person has a great explanation of roasting:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Roasted-Tomatoes/

and tips about freezing:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Free...sted-Tomatoes/

Best freezing tip in my view is to keep the packages flat, rather than bulging. We fill zip bags maybe 2/3 full, exclude air when zipping them, then lay them flat on tray(s) to freeze. (While keeping the packages flat, we fold the top up just a bit so the packages are all about the same size and shape.) Flat packages are much easier to stack in the freezer and take up much less room.

We use the zip type freezer bags, not the kind with the slider.

We don't add additional seasoning when freezing -- gives more flexibility when using the tomatoes, and some seasonings change -- weaken or intensify -- when frozen for longer periods.

The comments on those two pieces include some additional tips, as I recall.

[mohoghead]

She cans everything, but we choose to freeze or dehydrate, my black icicles get sliced 1/4 inch thick dehydrated then pulverized in the processer, makes a coarse powder we can add to anything for great flavor, we do the same with the sweet peppers for humus. the Principe Borghese get sliced in half and coated with olive oil before dehydrating, keeps them plump for salads and snacks., Hungarian Hearts get cooked into sauce and then froze

Originally Posted by JLJ_

Especially if your friend has any doubts about how to can safely, don't forget roasting/freezing as a way to preserve tomatoes. We use it more than canning, now.

We began because there often weren't enough tomatoes ready at the same time to can -- at least not when there was time to can. Roasting/freezing works with whatever quantity you have, is more forgiving about tomatoes that aren't right at their prime when you want to process them, substantially reduces the freezer space needed to store them, lets you package the quantity you want per package more easily, and saves great tasting tomatoes.

This person has a great explanation of roasting:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Roasted-Tomatoes/

and tips about freezing:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Free...sted-Tomatoes/

Best freezing tip in my view is to keep the packages flat, rather than bulging. We fill zip bags maybe 2/3 full, exclude air when zipping them, then lay them flat on tray(s) to freeze. (While keeping the packages flat, we fold the top up just a bit so the packages are all about the same size and shape.) Flat packages are much easier to stack in the freezer and take up much less room.

We use the zip type freezer bags, not the kind with the slider.

We don't add additional seasoning when freezing -- gives more flexibility when using the tomatoes, and some seasonings change -- weaken or intensify -- when frozen for longer periods.

The comments on those two pieces include some additional tips, as I recall.

[mohoghead]

Along this line I do have another question, my understanding is the gel sac around the seed was to prevent them from germinating, how did they get around that?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by mohoghead

Along this line I do have another question, my understanding is the gel sac around the seed was to prevent them from germinating, how did they get around that?

The hormones in the gel broke down because they have been sitting around for months.

Worth

[mohoghead]

Originally Posted by Worth1

The hormones in the gel broke down because they have been sitting around for months.

Worth

Thank you.

[JJJessee]

Ask Monsanto.

[Darren Abbey]

The RIN mutation was discovered in a farm field in 1960s. Monsanto had nothing to do with it and it isn't in any way a GMO.

The early analysis of the trait in 1974: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/...8#.VMaFIktNLwJ

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Darren Abbey

The RIN mutation was discovered in a farm field in 1960s. Monsanto had nothing to do with it and it isn't in any way a GMO.

The early analysis of the trait in 1974: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/...8#.VMaFIktNLwJ

I bet a flying saucer caused the mutation.

[Cole_Robbie]

They look like tomato Chia-Pets.