Tamayo R tomatillos

[gdaddybill]

This is reported to be the first hybrid tomatillo. I have four plants and they are rather productive. Photo from Bill's Blog at arborgate.com

[Bipetual]

Wow, those are beautiful. Do you have to plant more than one plant, or are tomatillos self-fertile?

I'll bet those would make some great salsa or green sauce!

[Darren Abbey]

Tomatillos generally seem to be considered self-incompatible. I've read research about self-compatible plants that have been found and last year I grew one plant that produced just fine all on its own, so I don't really know what to think of the consensus view on the plants sexual habits.

[Bipetual]

Good to know. I tried it unsuccessfully, but it's nice to know it can be done!

[Darren Abbey]

This year I'm growing several plants from seed. Some from a medium-sized and very dark-purple fruit I saved from a CSA basket. Some others from a very large green fruit I saved from the grocer. I have mild delusions of breeding up a large dark-purple fruited variety. We shall see.

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by Darren Abbey

Tomatillos generally seem to be considered self-incompatible. I've read research about self-compatible plants that have been found and last year I grew one plant that produced just fine all on its own, so I don't really know what to think of the consensus view on the plants sexual habits.

My purple tomatillo managed to grow one fruit last year, so it can be done - but this season I am having two plants, in hope that I shall see more than just one baby...

[Bipetual]

Mine had ground cherry size fruit all over it that were white, waxy, and had no taste. On the bright side, it attracted lots of bees.

[Darren Abbey]

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

My purple tomatillo managed to grow one fruit last year, so it can be done - but this season I am having two plants, in hope that I shall see more than just one baby...

Most things in biology are a bit fuzzy. Self-incompatible doesn't mean it can't produce a fruit all on its own, just that it is unlikely to.

Originally Posted by Bipetual

Mine had ground cherry size fruit all over it that were white, waxy, and had no taste. On the bright side, it attracted lots of bees.

That definitely sounds like the effect of self-incompatibility. No effective pollination and so no real fruit development.

[jmsieglaff]

Those tomatillos are huge! I grow Toma Verde, which are definitely smaller. Bigger fruits would be nice from a harvesting and peeling perspective. How's the flavor?

[PA_Julia]

This year I have two Verde tomatillo plants going. I have many fruits currently growing. None of course approaching the size of this hybrid however. Both are planted close together so pollination can occur.

[Ken B]

Interesting, will have to try it some year, curious to see how it'd compare to OP varieties and see how much breeding work actually went into it.

There's already several large OP varieties available (Everona Large Green and Cisineros Grande are up to 2.5 inches, Plaza Latina Giant is up to 3 inches). Tamayo R is described as being 2.5-3 inches in diameter, so it's not like it's just unique for its size. (Looking up the different companies carrying it, most are good about noting something like "One of the largest tomatillos," but Stokes just has it totally wrong, they say "fruit are 2-3 times the size of O/P's.")

[Darren Abbey]

Unlike tomatoes, with ~6 genes involved in the production of large fruit, tomatillo fruit size seems to be driven mostly by a single gene: http://www.ibcas.ac.cn/News/201407/W...7540071951.pdf

This makes my idea of breeding up a large and purple tomatillo much more feasible.

[cherokee]

how much per pound dose tomatillos sale for @farmers markets?

[pauldavid]

Those look great. Would make some good salsa verde.

[Ken B]

Originally Posted by Darren Abbey

Unlike tomatoes, with ~6 genes involved in the production of large fruit, tomatillo fruit size seems to be driven mostly by a single gene: http://www.ibcas.ac.cn/News/201407/W...7540071951.pdf

This makes my idea of breeding up a large and purple tomatillo much more feasible.

Interesting! I'll guess that the colors involve more than one gene, since varieties like Dr. Wyche's and De Milpa are more variable with their colors.