Breeding for fun

[loeb]

OK I have to admit, I have started breeding tomatoes for fun. It's a lot of fun. Now I am setting this thread to have a place to stuff all my tomato findings into.. Starting from 2015
This year is quite interesting. I couldnt have nice tomatoes for a last 2 years, so this year I just planted whatever came to my mind [and I had seeds of it]. Those are some nice stable varietes, some breeding lines. Some I know, a lot of very new to me.
And now here's the thing that's on my mind right now: I have 2 plants of Orange Tree >>compact tree-type plant with large dark green rugose regular leaves that look unusual (curled up even when not under stress)<<
One is rather normal, the second one refused to grow as a seedling until I've damaged a little cotyledons. Then, 2 stems showed one from each cotyledon side. It grows like the sibling BUT I have noticed that instead of having a truss of flowers, there is only 1 flower for each branch now, single one but giant. My question is, is it some kind of mutation or just extreme dwarfism, and, is there a value in making a cross of it with something? Would it increase a fruit set or something like this.. I am thinking about crossing with heart, or whatever I will be able to..

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by loeb

OK I have to admit, I have started breeding tomatoes for fun. It's a lot of fun. Now I am setting this thread to have a place to stuff all my tomato findings into.. Starting from 2015
This year is quite interesting. I couldnt have nice tomatoes for a last 2 years, so this year I just planted whatever came to my mind [and I had seeds of it]. Those are some nice stable varietes, some breeding lines. Some I know, a lot of very new to me.
And now here's the thing that's on my mind right now: I have 2 plants of Orange Tree >>compact tree-type plant with large dark green rugose regular leaves that look unusual (curled up even when not under stress)<<
One is rather normal, the second one refused to grow as a seedling until I've damaged a little cotyledons. Then, 2 stems showed one from each cotyledon side. It grows like the sibling BUT I have noticed that instead of having a truss of flowers, there is only 1 flower for each branch now, single one but giant. My question is, is it some kind of mutation or just extreme dwarfism, and, is there a value in making a cross of it with something? Would it increase a fruit set or something like this.. I am thinking about crossing with heart, or whatever I will be able to..

I've grown Orange Tree, many years ago and I just ran across those old seeds a few weeks ago when looking for something else.

I'm not so sure what you describe as a possible mutation is correct, for me it might have something to do with your damaging the cotyledons which are the sole source of energy to a plant until the true leaves appear when they take over by synthesizing energy compounds via Photosynthesis.

I didn't like the tasste of the fruits of Orange Tree and only grew it once.

Breeding for fun? Why not? A couple of months ago I addressed that question at another message site and did so since I knew several so called amateur hobby breeders who were developing some wonderful varieties that I think should be out there where the public has access to them.

I've offered to three of them that if they send me seeds I'll offer them in my annual seed offer and I usually send the best of my varieties for trial to several places as well, and they may then appear at certain seed vendors if they like them

But there are also hobby breeders trying to introduce this or that trait into something and the only way one can even know if the trait has been incorporated is by testing in a lab, not by any visual phenotype.

So go for it, chose your parents well and set some goals as to what you want to accomplish that can be shown by actually seeing the fruits and not relying on lab tests which most places won't even do except for professional breeders working with F1 hybrids who have the money to pay for such tests, which are not cheap.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn

[bower]

hey loeb,

I look forward to seeing your findings... I agree, tomato breeding is a lot of fun.
Don't know the answer to your question about the 'one flowered' orange tree... but there's one way to find out if it is a heritable mutation.

[loeb]

There was no growing tip for real leafs between those cotyledons, so i didn't know what to do and just pulled them apart a little until there was a little crack between them. Then those sleeping buds on a side of each cotyledon activated.. Then they finally started to grow. Here they are:


And a last one : normal flowers on a second plant


And there are other candidates for breeding this year:

[bower]

I've seen pepper seedlings that were "blind" ie no growing tip. Odd but not that uncommon, I'm told. Still I don't know of anyone who has gotten them to grow and flower, so whether there is a heritable mutation, no one knows.

That variegated leaf is cool!!!

What is the third one? The leaves are red and yellow?? Is that "Lutescent" or something like it?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by bower

I've seen pepper seedlings that were "blind" ie no growing tip. Odd but not that uncommon, I'm told. Still I don't know of anyone who has gotten them to grow and flower, so whether there is a heritable mutation, no one knows.

That variegated leaf is cool!!!

What is the third one? The leaves are red and yellow?? Is that "Lutescent" or something like it?

No, it wouldn't be Lutescent which has sickly yellow looking foliage, and I've grown it just for the novelty of the color changes of the fruits, as mentioned below, not somuch for that foliage color,

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...b=General_Info

The yellow foliage is not shown at tania's site but if you Google IMAGES I bet it would be shown there if the photos were true to what theyshould be,

Carolyn

[loeb]

Variegated potato is Black Pear and it has variegation only on one branch so I don't know whats happening but its interesting.
The other one is not Lutescent [I had Lutescent once, looks like sick plant really], I am confused with this one.. It is variegated but much much more that that leaf of Black Pear. It's supposed to be Elbonian Mud Ball line from Tormato BUT I have 4 seedlings - 2xf4, 1xf3 1xf2 and f3 is normal green plant, others were growing green too and then switched to variegated.
I had seeds of Variegated and was planting them this year too but in completly different containers and nothing sprouted, so I don't know how that would be possible to exchange places for them.. And I don't remember real Variegated having that much purple on its stems.. a puzzle. I guess I will know when the fruits will be ripe.

[ddsack]

Wooo Hooo! Hang on to those variegated ones! and to think I gave my Elbonian Mud Ball seeds away to someone! Please keep us informed of progress, and let us know what kind of fruit they develop.