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Old April 27, 2022   #7
KarenO
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
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I would think it’s probably a branded hybrid. Could also be an OP but there is no such thing as an “ heirloom” high anthocyanin or “ blue” tomato. The first more commonly available outside of university breeding programs sort of “escaped ( stolen). One that was widely distributed came from the osu breeding Program and were helped out of the program by some assistant with low respect for intellectual property who promptly shared seed with eager amateur breeders. That was back in around 2008? -ish so not that long ago certainly by “ heirloom” standards.
That tomato removed from the program without the breeders knowledge and consent was called P20 blue which was later released as indigo rose by the breeding program later but not until after other breeders were already crossing with it.
Pretty well every antho tomato out there descends from breeding with those at some point in their pedigree.
Many were also hurried along and released unstable which explains a lot of really low quality meh antho tomatoes out there but there is continued interest and better quality ones are becoming more available and even commercial hybrids are being produced now by some of the major seed companies.
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