Long duration storage tomato

[Fusion_power]

This is a general query about tomatoes that can be stored for a long time without losing flavor and texture. Varieties like Long Keeper and Giraffe have a gene that prevents full ripening which allows the fruit to be kept in good condition with little or no loss of flavor.

I grew a tomato this season that has genetics from P20, the high anthocyanin tomato from OSU, and can be successfully stored on a shelf for at least 3 months. I have a completely ripe oval two lobed tomato sitting here beside me that has shriveled a bit from water loss but otherwise looks just like it did the day I harvested it back in June. It is an otherwise unremarkable tomato that tastes pretty good.

I suspect a different gene is involved that has been found in other storage varieties. You can find "rin" and "nor" in TGRC accessions that affect fruit ripening characteristics.

Any thoughts?

DarJones

[carolyn137]

Yes, I've got a thought.

For years I listed a variety in the Yearbook called Dourne d' Hivre. Has either or both the rin and/or nor genes, hard as a rock but one of the most beaituful varieties I've ever grown.

Almost had to take an axe to it to get it open.

But the reason I listed it is b'c I was hoping that someone would work with it and cross it to something to get some taste into it, preserve the long keeping trait and preserve the fantastic colors.

Here's what I once wrote about it in the SSE YEarbook:

75-85 days, large indet, RL, very interesting tomato ( Strange?), 2-3 oz ovals,, rock hard with gorgeous coloration of a red, pink, yellow, salmon blend, no taste, somebody please cross it to save colors and add taste, from Norbert Parreira, France, in 1992.

At that time I didn't know about nor and rin genes but I learned quickly when someone shared that information with me.

[RinTinTin]

Almost had to take an axe to it to get it open.

You are dating yourself Carolyn...they now have chainsaws that are much faster than axes. You can even open sardine cans with them if you don't mind a bit of 'over-kill'. jk

When I get my own property, that sounds like a good project to play with. Most of the 'storage' research has been done primarily for commercial producers, but the rest of us would like a keeper that keeps...especially those living in short growing season areas.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by RinTinTin

Almost had to take an axe to it to get it open.

You are dating yourself Carolyn...they now have chainsaws that are much faster than axes. You can even open sardine cans with them if you don't mind a bit of 'over-kill'. jk

When I get my own property, that sounds like a good project to play with. Most of the 'storage' research has been done primarily for commercial producers, but the rest of us would like a keeper that keeps...especially those living in short growing season areas.

An axe is preferable when one doesn't want to try and start a chainsaw. I have a genetic flaw when it comes to starting anything with a pull rope, if you know what I mean.

And chainsaw a small oval fruit? Nah, axe is best.

[Fusion_power]

Do you still have seed of Dourne d' Hivre? I might give it a try in a cross with something that tastes decent.

DarJones

[Tormato]

Darrel,

My T4's , fresh off the vine, look much like your pic.

Any idea what Tom Wagner was playing with?

Gary

[Fusion_power]

Tor, not the foggiest. The genes for oval bilobed fruit are fairly common so he wouldn't have to look far to find something to work with. Please note that the fruit I posted is just over 3 months old now. If I had kept it in a slightly humid environment, I suspect it would look just the way it did when I picked it.

DarJones

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Do you still have seed of Dourne d' Hivre? I might give it a try in a cross with something that tastes decent.

DarJones

Yes, probably somewhere but the seeds would be very old but I know you're good at "lazarizing" seeds. I'll look before it's time to start seeds, but actually if you really are interested I should get them to you before then b'c my experience is that it can take up to almost 3 months to get something going/

Do you remember the GMO variety with the fish gene in it that was called Endless Summer? Now there was a long keeper and I dubbed it SummerSpringWinter Fall b'c it just wouldn't even TRY to rot.

I'd write more but this AM I had cataract surgery on the right eye, have a clear plastic shield over that eye and have been told to keep my eyes shut. Well, better than keeping my mouth shut or my fingetrs still.

Have to be driven back to his office tomorrow and then a series of trips back and forth tp Glens Falls before the left eye gets done on Oct 11th.

My two cat kids notice everyting and have been staring at me with that protective shield. And now time to put two kinds of drops in that right eye and I am a loser when it comes to doing this. Most of it lands on my cheek, and I mean the one above the waist.

[Fusion_power]

One deals with life the best one can Carolyn. Eye drops are a pain. I hope your eyes recover and your vision improves.

DarJones

[Tormato]

Darrel,

I wasn't specific enough. It wasn't the oval and bi-lobed shape that the T4's showed, it was the wrinkles.

Gary

[Dak]

What about Principe Borghese?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

One deals with life the best one can Carolyn. Eye drops are a pain. I hope your eyes recover and your vision improves.

DarJones

Rafa Nadal said he changed his grip on the racquet and that's why he's serving 10 mph faster than before. I also changed my grip on the three different drops that have to go in multiple times each day as well as my head position and am now at a 99% rate in getting the drops where they belong.

Today was the first day I drove out and of course it was a challenge b'c I have one new lens in my right eye and my glasses don't compensate for that, but I did just fine when the road was straight.

After the left eye is done, then all has be be put together as to new glasses or whatever, and that's when I'll try to remember to look for Dourne d'Hivre for I'd love to see you do something with it if I can find the seeds and you can germinate them.

[tam91]

I'm sure Rafa would be honored to be your "drops" inspiration.

*snort* straight roads indeed

**feeling mildly grateful to live fairly far west**

[dustdevil]

DJ, I wonder how well the digestive system breaks down the "long keepers". Do they ferment normally, or do they take longer?

[Fusion_power]

Dustdevil,

Look up "autolytic enzymes" or "autolysis". Our digestive systems don't have much trouble with most vegetable material unless it contains large amounts of cellulose. The various long keeping varieties have genetic variations that reduce the amount of autolysis - natural breakdown of tissue in mature fruit. Did you ever wonder what happens when a tomato gets over ripe? The cellular tissue becomes soft and eventually collapses. This happens because ripening releases autolytic enzymes inside the fruit. At that point, bacteria and other organisms can invade the fruit and complete the process of decay.

DarJones