What traits would you breed into future OP varieties?

With the huge number of OP varieties of tomatoes available today, which traits would you like to see incorporated in modern OP varieties? I think my first would be general disease resistance. I would also like to see consistent high production and it would probably rank equally with taste for me. How about colors, shapes, and sizes?

Ted

[BlackestKrim]

I am most interested in tomatoes setting in the hotter weather, myself.

Other than that, taste+ yield is next favorite.

[shelleybean]

I would like to see more OP cherry varieties with disease resistance, especially Fusarium because that's my issue here. It would also be nice if they didn't crack, but I'm not asking for much, am I?

[travis]

With the assumption that the open pollinated varieties used in such improvement projects already have top quality flavor to begin with, I'd breed in disease resistances, heat tolerance, a variety of color and a variety of sizes compatible with a variety of uses.

[bigbubbacain]

Maybe I'm getting caught up in the semantics here, but I personally look at this from the perspective of looking for disease tolerance and heat tolerance. I think diseases and heat issue are always going to a constant part of gardening in my area. I'm willing to grow a prolific variety that has beautiful flavorful fruit, even if it is weaker than others in the face of diseases. I've given up on finding disease resistant types because I've never found one I liked that's resistant to every disease in my area. There always seems to be a pathogen waiting for us tomato growers to discover.

My favorites for flavor and appearance don't come without a sacrifice, and it's usually in regard to plant health. For example, my Golden Ponderosa got loaded down with about 10 beefsteaks before the Fusarium Wilt set in. I had allowed it to produce 2 main stems and all of my fruits are on the healthy stem. Every day it looks a little sicker and sicker but the fruits are still ripening. This is my idea of disease tolerance, compared to varieties that would stop growing altogether when a disease sets in. I know every time I grow GP it's going to look awful and die, but it's still worth it to me because I'll be rewarded with late production of beautiful yellow beefsteaks that set surprisingly well in the heat. It always dies on me, but it "goes down swingin", so to speak. I'm growing it again for the first time in 3 years because I finally just shrugged and said "oh well, I just gotta have it".

[oc tony]

A perineal 5-6 ft bush with diasese resistance. taste and production.

[kath]

Originally Posted by oc tony

A perineal 5-6 ft bush with diasese resistance. taste and production.

Um...perennial, right?

[discrepancy]

Originally Posted by kath

Um...perennial, right?

If you misread "perineal" the same way I misread it... Well, I never expected to read a post on TVille that would have me laughing hysterically, but there you go.

On-topic, it'd be disease resistance and flavor for me.

[remy]

Originally Posted by oc tony

A perineal 5-6 ft bush with diasese resistance. taste and production.

Umm... there is a variety out there called 'Monkey A$$'

As far as what I would want in a heirloom tomato or any tomato, early blight resistance since that is always my issue.
Remy

[TZ-OH6]

If'n taint too much to ax for... Frost resistance

[frogsleap farm]

I'll add early fruit set and tolerance to Septoria. I also think there's a lot fun to be had with various color/stripes/shapes combinations.

Considering how everyone seems to be competing to grow the biggest of everything, I'm a little surprised size isn't important to some. You know what I'm talking about. How about a 1500 lb pumpkin that isn't worth making a single pumpkin pie from. How about a forty lb. tomato. How about needing a seventy lb hamburger to dress with a slice of that forty lb tomato. Is tomato size only important in contests?

I don't remember anyone mentioning smaller plants that produce normal sized fruits. I'm always amazed when my plants are eight or nine feet tall. I'm impressed, but would really prefer a five foot tall plant still loaded with fruit just before the first frost near Christmas.

Just curious!

Ted

[danwigz]

I think the Dwarf Project is working on the size of plants for everyone, so there ya go for smaller plants.

As far as size, as long as it tastes good I don't care if its huge or small. Personally I'm interested in more disease resistance and also creating smaller plants for city gardeners.


Danwigz

[travis]

Dwarf plants with great tasting tomatoes is a real challenge due to the genetic drag inherent in dwarves against flavor. I understand there may be some progress in that regard with the ones that have Green Giant as an input.

[Lee]

Dwarf plants with great tasting tomatoes is a real challenge due to the genetic drag inherent in dwarves against flavor. I understand there may be some progress in that regard with the ones that have Green Giant as an input.

The Sleepy, Sneezy, Witty, and Happy dwarf lines have all
produced very good to "knock your socks off" fantastic tasting
varieties. Summertime Gold is one of the dwarf varieties that
will easily take on the best tasting indeterminates out there!

As for other traits I would like to see.... I'm thinking a variety with deer tolerance would be nice!

Lee