Piccolo

[clspie]

Hi
Can anyone tell me the difference between the piccolo tomato sold at Tomatofest, http://store.tomatofest.com/Piccolo_...p/tf-0380h.htm
and the f1 piccolo sold in Europe?
Thank You

[Douglas14]

Good question, I was wondering the same.

[Raymondo]

The size of the fruit is different - up to 1/2" for Piccolo as opposed to an inch or more for Piccolo F1, according to one UK source at any rate.

[Douglas14]

From what you posted Raymondo, I'm assuming there's an OP variety called Piccolo? And I'm assuming Tomato Fest carries it. Is this correct.

[Raymondo]

It would seem so. You could email TomatoFest and ask if it's OP and if the two are related in any way or whether it's just a name overlap. I suspect the latter.

[cdntomato]

I agree with Ray. Could be that someone saved seeds from the EU F1, came up with a red cherry and assumed that it was stable, or grew enough generations to actually stabilize it. Just guessing.

That said, there is a much older OP Piccolo. It's from Hungary and is a dwarf sort-of tree-type with over-sized almost slicer sized red fruit. I got it from PGRC; it's not commercially available that I'm aware.

Jennifer

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by cdntomato

I agree with Ray. Could be that someone saved seeds from the EU F1, came up with a red cherry and assumed that it was stable, or grew enough generations to actually stabilize it. Just guessing.

That said, there is a much older OP Piccolo. It's from Hungary and is a dwarf sort-of tree-type with over-sized almost slicer sized red fruit. I got it from PGRC; it's not commercially available that I'm aware.

Jennifer

Jennifer did you really mean PGRC? I ask only b'c the PGRC at UC Davis has had pretty strict access to accessions re documented breeders only and I wasn't aware that individual named heirlooms were there either.Maybe something has been added since I last plowed thru the contents.

This is somewhat important re an academic book that's being written, not by me, but I may be contributing here and there as to germplasm sources.

[cdntomato]

Carolyn,

I was referring to PGRC, the Canadian genebank. This OP Piccolo was probably bred along similar lines to Mano and Zomok. Its characteristics are somewhat similar and so, coming from a fairly recent gov breeding programme, wouldn't be classed as an heirloom. Please let me know if you need more details on this or anything else.

Jennifer

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by cdntomato

Carolyn,

I was referring to PGRC, the Canadian genebank. This OP Piccolo was probably bred along similar lines to Mano and Zomok. Its characteristics are somewhat similar and so, coming from a fairly recent gov breeding programme, wouldn't be classed as an heirloom. Please let me know if you need more details on this or anything else.

Jennifer

Thanks for clarifying the source was the Canadian gene bank and will keep you in mind if any other info is needed but I think it's mainly US sources they're interested re germplasm access.

Can anyone from outside Canada access germplasm from the Canadian seed Bank? Any restrictions as the USDA has or the Rick Center has?

[cdntomato]

I know that the Canuck PGRC does not have the restrictions that the Rick Center does, but things have tightened up in all genebanks around the world recently. I believe Ray was able to request Aussie varieties directly once I linked him with Dallas Kessler, the technician responsible for genebank requests, although I do remember some glitches to the point that I was asked to serve as middleperson. I suspect much has to do with who you are and why you are requesting. So the answer is NO, not just anyone can request. The complicating factor may be getting germplasm over the US border. I doubt PGRC would foot the bill for phytosanitaries. Centre to Center, genebank to genebank, might have different protocols in play, however. All one can do is ask. Dallas is prompt and a pleasure to work with.

Jennifer

[Raymondo]

I've obtained germplasm from both the PGRC and the USDA, three years ago now I think. There was no problem at the time. I think both were happy to send me the varieties I asked for given that my aim was to re-establish them in their country of origin. I was going to send the seeds to our Seed Savers' Network, our equivalent of the SSE, but they have since closed their seed bank and distributed its contents to members.

Jennifer, I offered Dallas some seeds of various Australian heritage vegetables and that's where the difficulties came in. For him to obtain germplasm from overseas there was a lot of red tape and it would have been almost impossible to have an individual send them. That's when the idea of asking you to act an intermediate was first mooted. I send to you and then you send the seeds to Dallas as there are few restrictions on obtaining seeds domestically. There were some emails me to you and back and me to Dallas and back, but I'm not sure if Dallas contacted you directly though. Anyway, I've not done anything more about it. I'll bring them with me later in the year.

[cdntomato]

Thanks, Ray. My bad memory. No, Dallas never contacted me. And am not clear why there would be any problems getting seeds into Canada, but Dallas would know better. Home-grown versus commercial, maybe?

Jennifer