I grew 16 plants in the garden this year of the Piennolo X LA0417 F2. Disease tolerance ranged from decimated plants similar to the Piennolo parent to very low disease incidence on exactly 2 plants. One of the disease tolerant plants had larger and better flavored fruit so I saved seed from it to grow out next year. Unfortunately, I only got a hundred or so seed before a deer got in the garden and decimated the plant. Has anyone else noticed that varmints go for the best flavored first?
Plans for next year include growing at least 24 F3 plants and seeing what segregates out.
Pure LA0417 produces 1/2 inch diameter red fruit on plants with septoria tolerance that I rate 7 on a 1 to 10 scale. Most domestic tomatoes rate 2 or 3 though a few such as Eva Purple Ball rate 5. LA2175 rates 8.5 which is a good bit better than LA0417. None of these are immune to septoria, they are just a lot more tolerant than anything else available.
Analysis given the 1:8 ratio of tolerant F2 plants suggests 3 genes are involved and given the range of tolerance from decimated to somewhat resistant to highly resistant, I speculate that one gene is dominant and two are recessive. One of the recessives has a major effect which has significant implications for further crosses and/or development of F1 lines for fruit production.
I provided a few F3 seed to Randy Gardner and to a few individuals who post on T'ville and are interested in further breeding.
The F3 will not be anywhere close to stable. Fruit from the best plant were about 3/4 inch diameter, slightly pear shaped, with a small nipple similar to Piennolo. I will grow them out at least 3 more generations selecting for best disease tolerance, largest fruit, and best flavor in each generation.
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