Crimson Gene

Douglas14 · March 14, 2013

I was in a local garden center and came across the tomato variety Dakota Sport. I looked it up online, and found that it's a sport of Crimson Sprinter, which carries the Crimson Gene, which gives a tomato a high lycopene content(I think). I'm wondering if genetic testing is done to see if a variety carries the Crimson Gene, or if it can be deterimined by mere observation of the fruit?

Has anyone here grown Dakota Sport or Crimson Sprinter? If so, what did you think of them?

doublehelix · March 14, 2013

You can tell by looking at the bloom. It is more gold than yellow.

Fusion_power · March 14, 2013

You can also tell by visually comparing fruit and picking the most red saturated. This was tested recently by gas chromatography and proven that effective breeding work could be done by looking at the ripe fruit for most intense color. However, there are some interacting genes that can skew the results so you have to know the genetics you are working with.

I might have problems doing this. I have trouble seeing some shades of red, especially as it goes into red/brown range.

DarJones

March 14, 2013	#1
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	Crimson Gene I was in a local garden center and came across the tomato variety Dakota Sport. I looked it up online, and found that it's a sport of Crimson Sprinter, which carries the Crimson Gene, which gives a tomato a high lycopene content(I think). I'm wondering if genetic testing is done to see if a variety carries the Crimson Gene, or if it can be deterimined by mere observation of the fruit? Has anyone here grown Dakota Sport or Crimson Sprinter? If so, what did you think of them? Last edited by Douglas14; March 14, 2013 at 01:07 AM.

March 14, 2013	#2
doublehelix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 190	You can tell by looking at the bloom. It is more gold than yellow.

March 14, 2013	#3
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	You can also tell by visually comparing fruit and picking the most red saturated. This was tested recently by gas chromatography and proven that effective breeding work could be done by looking at the ripe fruit for most intense color. However, there are some interacting genes that can skew the results so you have to know the genetics you are working with. I might have problems doing this. I have trouble seeing some shades of red, especially as it goes into red/brown range. DarJones