Iron Lady Tomato for late blight resistance

[Tom Wagner]

Wow! I don't think I have posted on COMMON GARDEN DISEASES AND PESTS before. I stick to my moderator duties on POTATOES and CROSSTALK, and a bit on the GENERAL DISCUSSION.

I was re-directed to this topic since Jennifer had some interest about my variety called MAGIC TRICK. Then I see my varieties SKYKOMISH, and what I think is my variety; EARLY SUE.

I had hoped someone would either come my personal forum..tatermater where I talk about my breeding work with tomatoes and potatoes and invite others to make comments or deliver questions. My interest is how my varieties fare compared to Defiant and Iron Lady. I am afraid those varieties may not be adequate since the resistance is only from one parent. My bedeviled work for the last five years indicates that I must have complete homozygous tomatoes with PH-2 and PH-3 doubled up, as the heterozygous lines fail way too early against the LB I have here where I live.

My request is to ask if I can get some F-2 seed of Defiant and Iron Lady along with a seed or two of Magic Trick and Earlly Sue as reference. But only if you have some pressure from LB.

My apologies for not visiting this sub forum....way too many rooms to visit in the tomatoville family.

Tom Wagner

[Mashman]

Tom:

Be glad to send seeds of Iron Lady (F2), Magic Trick and Early Sue if they make it across the finish line (to harvest). All 3 are doing well.... LB was an issue up this way last year... it's been reported again this year... but no problems so far.

Thanks for all your creations...

Michael

[Tom Wagner]

Thanks for the sending seed offer. I think I must do this kind of request and make it work as fast as possible. I have increases of Magic Trick and Early Sue in Hawaii and was supposed to have the F-1 Iron Lady there but they can't find it.

But having my varieties going through LB wringer is perfect, and getting the F-2 seed into dozens of vines on the big island with bulk f-3 seed coming back here and/or listed as such might be a good venture.

[Mashman]

Originally Posted by Mashman

Iron lady doesn't seem to be producing blossoms (at all).


Michael

==============================================

Just a quick follow up to an earlier post (to be fair). Iron lady has been pushing fruit prolifically. Came out of nowhere....... plant shows no sign of disease. Work horse to say the least.

Michael

[chilisauce]

I decided to try a late blight resistant tomato garden this year. Iron Lady is doing very well, LOADED with medium sized tomatoes, but none ripe yet. We are in zone 5' at 1600 feet, so we are often behind others in our area in ripening. We do have a few Mt. merit ripening and their taste is very good. I have a few plum regal ripening, although I don't think the yield is a big as viva Italia. Both Defiant and Legend are doing well, but, yields aren't great. Old Brooks has hardly any fruit and is still flowering heavily, so there is little chance of great yields. Mt Magic is sprawling and ripening but the small fruit make it a salad or snacking tomato.
I will post again when I taste the Iron Lady.
BTW- there are tomatoes within a mile with late blight. So far all of these varieties are doing well resisting late blight!

[chilisauce]

I have seen the same thing. Plants are just loaded now, can't wait to taste them. Since September is looming I need them to ripen pretty soon. Mt merit may be my better choice. We have LB nearby and we are OK so far.

[NewWestGardener]

I am growing 6 deiant f1 this year. They are ripening fast now. The plants are vigorous and healthy but relatively short determinants and loaded with fruit. Since I barely pruned them, I got many many small fruit, mostly about 4-6 oz, and upward to 10 oz. good flavor.
I am also growing Mounton Magic f1, 2nd year. Great production of red cherries, big for cherries, very attractive fruit, but they are firm and very bland tasting. Not good for fresh eating. I also have Granadero F1, second year growing. Very tall and vigorous plants, loads of clusters of Roma-like fruit. Very firm attractive fruit. I can see it for commercial production, they remind me of a larger version of Juliet, but bigger and better. Good for cooking or canning.
Seed source is Johnny's.
If anyone wants some f2 seeds, please pm me, I can save seeds for you.

[jmsieglaff]

To those that grew Iron Lady last year, how was the flavor/production/etc?

[chilisauce]

I went back and checked my garden journal. I noted Iron Lady was very productive but ripened very late. Although not affected by late blight, the leaves were heavily affected by some other disease, I am guessing septoria because it started with spotted leaves. I thought the flavor was poor.Other varieties:
Mt. Merit- meaty, large and very productive. Best flavor for a LB resistant
Plum Regal- productive, somewhat late ripening, good flavor, but not as good as Viva Italia which always gives up to LB
Defiant- small plants and not as productive, but ripened early and had good flavor, esp when very ripe.
Mt. Magic- HUGE plants, cherry sized tomatoes, flavor not impressive
Old Brooks, Premio- don't even bother. Both had very poor flavor


We are zone 5a and have short, hot summers. We plant between May 25 and June 5 depending on when we can work the soil. We grow on black plastic and tie plants to a 4ft fence attached to steel T posts. We are in a heavy blight area and commercial growers spray all season. I managed to grow at least 3 bushels from 32 plants. I did not use any sprays or treatments. I am adding Jasper this year for a LB resistant cherry tomato.
Mt merit, plum regal and defiant will be my choice this year plus jasper for salads and snacking.