The Next Big Thing in the Tomato World

[Fred Hempel]

Pete,

The unfortunate reality of high lycopene, high beta carotene and other tomatoes with "more" pigments is that these compounds are all in the same biochemical pathway and it is difficult, if not impossible, to maximize all components of the same pathway.

Years ago, when high lycopene tomatoes were first "in vogue" a tomato breeder told me that, unfortunately, when you breed for "high" lycopene, you are also breeding for low amounts of other products in the pathway. In other words, you have to rob from Peter to pay Paul.

Originally Posted by IronPete

Well apart from a giant beefsteak that tastes exactly like sungold F1 I have a different idea. It has to do with breeding for all the extra health benefits that various tomatoes have. IE: Health Kick F1 (double the lypocene) X DoubleRich (double the vitamin C) X Carorich (double the carotene) X any blue (for anthocyanin). Now make it into a paste because it really needs to be cooked for you to benefit from all those good things. How to make a meal into a super healthy meal! I would also try and make it a dward so that everyone could grow it.

A super-dooper healthy tomato! Thats what we need to focus on producing.

JMHO.

Pete

[Mac-77]

What I would most like to see are more heat set varities.

Plants that will produce tomatoes reliably in 100 to 105 degree heat in the south and west

Particularly the semi determinate dwarfs

[nicollas]

Would crossing those tomatoes with parthenocarpic ones (pat-2 gene) and select would do the trick ? I've read that parthenocarpic varieties could produce fruits both in cold and hot days

[Mac-77]

Originally Posted by nicollas

Would crossing those tomatoes with parthenocarpic ones (pat-2 gene) and select would do the trick ? I've read that parthenocarpic varieties could produce fruits both in cold and hot days

You are far too advanced for me.

I know there must be a gene that makes them produce in very hot weather.

There are hybrid tomatoes that hot set.

But I have no idea about the exact science involved.

Lets hope spmeone who does know takes an interest in the subject because we really need better hot set indeterminate dwarf varieties.