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Old August 14, 2007   #2
Tom Wagner
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First of all the spelling: San Marzano Redorta, not Redorte!

It looks like you have the OP version (select) and not the hybrid. Note:
TOMATO SAN MARZANO REDORTA F1 by seeds of italy


Named for the local mountain in Bergamo, the home of Franchi seeds. Fruits of upto 350g near 12 0z.

The rest of the trade carries the OP line. Such as this....

Pomodoro
San Marzano
”Redorta”
Selezione Speciale near 300 g. a bit smaller than the hybrid version

Quote:
I have a Rutgers plant growing beside a Redorte and this morning spoted a few tomatoes on the Rutgers that were plum shaped like the Redorte on the same truss as the round Rutgers. Is it possble that these plum shaped tomatoes are the products of cross fertilization?
Tomatoes growing next to each other should not be affected by cross pollination as to fruit shape. Making sure you don't have a branch of San Marzano Redorta select positioning itself over the branch of Rutgers, you just don't get that extreme Marzano shape in the clustering of Rutger fruits. It is possible to get a deep globe to near roma shape in Rutgers but not the San Marzano type.

Quote:
If it is should I save the seeds from them to see if they can be stabilized?
Did you grow both varieties side by side last year? Even if you have crossed seed, why not let those who make purposeful crosses and recombinants do this work?

Quote:
I am not very experienced with this aspect of growing tomatoes and would appreciate any advice.
I know all too well the temptation to save seed from unusual things. By all means do the saving if you have the time for opportunities and mistakes. Many crosses that I have made of San Marzano tomatoes and slicing tomatoes like Rutgers that I made in the 1950's turned out to be less than favorable. Either too mealy, too firm, wrong shapes, large locules, poor internal colorings, etc. were the common drawbacks.

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