Blue tomatoes and the growing thereof

Fusion_power · March 2, 2007

It cost me $20 and the signing of a Material Transfer Agreement, but I have a pack of Jim Myer's blue tomatoes. They are just designated P20. I started seed 4 days ago and have excellent germination as of today. First interesting note is that the seedling stems have a bluish pink color. Most seedlings have a slight pink/purple color on emergence. These range over to the blue side more than other seedlings in the same tray. I don't see this as significant one way or another but it is an interesting difference. Most significant to me is the very rapid and vigorous germination. This is a sure sign of fresh seed and possibly some extra vigor from the wild tomato parent.

**Patrina_Pepperina** · March 3, 2007

Very exciting Fusion, please post closeup pics

It will be fascinating to follow the progress of your growout on this!

PP

Bryan24 · March 3, 2007

OH! Wouldn't the kiddies at work love this one....I've gotten some of them to branch out to bi-colors, purples, and some blacks. I would love to see pics of all the progress with this one. Is is stable? What will you expect the fruit to look like? I can think of lots of questions, but I think I'll pester one or two at a time. Hahahahahahahahha!!!!

laurel-tx

**Tom Wagner** · March 5, 2007

I put the old photos of the Anthocyanin tomato from OSU on my wallpaper/PC. This was an older version of the P20 which was closer to 2- 2 1/2 inch diameter opposed to the 1 1/2- 1 3/4 in. of the P20 version. The first widely available version of blue tomatoes will likely be a cherry tomato hybrid. Talking with Jim Myers and requesting a MTA of the P20, he indicated research that I can't disclose before his next publication.

Looking at links showing captions of fruit from tomato accession LA1996 is rather striking. The photos show tomatoes with anthocyanin conditioned by Aft. The upper case A means it is a dominant Anthocyanin gene and the ft means fruit. The epidermis in the photo has been peeled to reveal anthocyanin expression in the pericarp. The purple/blue does not go down into the flesh far, just in the pericarp, which is by definition the part of the flesh just under the skin (epidermis). No fruits are available that show a cross section of the fruit that is blue throughout.

A few more words about this fruit; the phenotype shows anthocyanin in the unripe fruits and ripe fruits. The shiny color becomes more dull as the fruits ripen. The coloring is enviromentally sensitive; in other words, the stronger the direct light levels on the fruit, the deeper the color of purple/blue. Since the shoulders of the fruits will be exposed to the light more than the bottoms of such fruits, the undersides will be a normal red.

Tom Wagner

gflynn · June 5, 2007

I have a tee shirt with a picture of a Blue Tomato. It's an advertizement for Chesapeake Blue. Anyway, if everything works out you should get one of these shirts!

**Patrina_Pepperina** · June 6, 2007

How are they doing Fusion? Any pics?

March 2, 2007	#1
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Blue tomatoes and the growing thereof It cost me $20 and the signing of a Material Transfer Agreement, but I have a pack of Jim Myer's blue tomatoes. They are just designated P20. I started seed 4 days ago and have excellent germination as of today. First interesting note is that the seedling stems have a bluish pink color. Most seedlings have a slight pink/purple color on emergence. These range over to the blue side more than other seedlings in the same tray. I don't see this as significant one way or another but it is an interesting difference. Most significant to me is the very rapid and vigorous germination. This is a sure sign of fresh seed and possibly some extra vigor from the wild tomato parent.

March 3, 2007	#2
Patrina_Pepperina Cross Hemisphere Dwarf Project™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New South Wales, Australia Posts: 3,094	Very exciting Fusion, please post closeup pics It will be fascinating to follow the progress of your growout on this! PP __________________ Truth is colourful, not just black and white. PP: 2005

June 6, 2007	#6
Patrina_Pepperina Cross Hemisphere Dwarf Project™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New South Wales, Australia Posts: 3,094	How are they doing Fusion? Any pics? __________________ Truth is colourful, not just black and white. PP: 2005

March 3, 2007	#3
Bryan24 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 176	OH! Wouldn't the kiddies at work love this one....I've gotten some of them to branch out to bi-colors, purples, and some blacks. I would love to see pics of all the progress with this one. Is is stable? What will you expect the fruit to look like? I can think of lots of questions, but I think I'll pester one or two at a time. Hahahahahahahahha!!!! laurel-tx

March 5, 2007	#4
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	I put the old photos of the Anthocyanin tomato from OSU on my wallpaper/PC. This was an older version of the P20 which was closer to 2- 2 1/2 inch diameter opposed to the 1 1/2- 1 3/4 in. of the P20 version. The first widely available version of blue tomatoes will likely be a cherry tomato hybrid. Talking with Jim Myers and requesting a MTA of the P20, he indicated research that I can't disclose before his next publication. Looking at links showing captions of fruit from tomato accession LA1996 is rather striking. The photos show tomatoes with anthocyanin conditioned by Aft. The upper case A means it is a dominant Anthocyanin gene and the ft means fruit. The epidermis in the photo has been peeled to reveal anthocyanin expression in the pericarp. The purple/blue does not go down into the flesh far, just in the pericarp, which is by definition the part of the flesh just under the skin (epidermis). No fruits are available that show a cross section of the fruit that is blue throughout. A few more words about this fruit; the phenotype shows anthocyanin in the unripe fruits and ripe fruits. The shiny color becomes more dull as the fruits ripen. The coloring is enviromentally sensitive; in other words, the stronger the direct light levels on the fruit, the deeper the color of purple/blue. Since the shoulders of the fruits will be exposed to the light more than the bottoms of such fruits, the undersides will be a normal red. Tom Wagner

June 5, 2007	#5
gflynn MAGTAG™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 437	I have a tee shirt with a picture of a Blue Tomato. It's an advertizement for Chesapeake Blue. Anyway, if everything works out you should get one of these shirts!