[Worth1]

Originally Posted by travis

Ambiorix, while I agree with you to some extent that the anthcyanin types first used to create the glut of new "blue" tomatoes seem to have been highly attractive to bees, or otherwise seemed to have "special powers" of cross contamination, do you not think also that some of the dramatic variations you are seeing in your tomato population may be caused by the wildly unstable stage in the germplasm of a couple of the anthocyanin lines with which you began(Shadow Boxing, and other Wagner F2s and F3s)

That being asked, I still agree that the anthocyanin plants that first became available to several of the hobby and professional breeders (OSU Blue and P20) appear to have been highly attractive or highly susceptible to bees or bee-carried cross pollination.

The first and only time I grew OSU Blue, I saved seeds that resulted in the so-called OSU Large, which obviously was a cross between OSU Blue x a purple beefsteak in my garden (most likely Indian Stripe, as that was the purple type with the most plants present in that year's garden).

In another case, I grew what was supposed to be a pink cherry something from a Rose Quartz cross with another pink tomato from Keith Mueller, and got a ping pong size, red cocktail tomato with blue shoulders ... obviously contaminated by something Keith was working on from P20 crosses.

That was enough for me to stop growing anthocyanin types, as while I do experience accidental outcrosses, I do not experience them at the same apparent high rate as I did with the antho types. Same comment on the variegated foliage types ... they too have been barred from the garden.

Travis I have always respected your thoughts on things from way way back,
You have convinced me to not have these things in my garden.

I hope I'm not considered the so called peanut gallery that was mentioned in the other thread.

Originally Posted by Allisa

This year I had Blue Beauty in my garden and late in the season I could see antho "contamination" almost on all of my tomato varieties, especially on yellow/orange ones. Did not see any bees this year, but it was windy. Chuchloma and some yellow from commercial pack

Originally Posted by Allisa

Should be Mr Stripey tomato

Now I am confused.
Are you saying that these plants produced this from commercial seeds not ones you saved?

Worth