DNA Testing of Tomatoes?

Greatgardens · June 9, 2013

The similarities that I have seen among (especially) various heirloom tomatoes has always made me wonder if "only the name is different" in many cases. This year I am growing Orange Jubilee and Earle of Edgecomb side-by-side, and thus far the plants are identical looking -- size, leaf cover, etc. This is just a recent example of what I've noticed especially about "beefsteaks" and "Ponderosa" types in the past.

Is anyone aware of any testing by a university or Ag station on the DNA similarities/differences of tomatoes?

-GG

ScottinAtlanta · June 9, 2013

I wonder if DNA testing would eliminate a huge slice of apparent varieties that are actually identical?

WVTomatoMan · June 11, 2013

This has been discussed and the general consensus is that yep, a lot of varieties are the same. It's nothing new. A study done at Michigan Agricultural College in the late 1880's (I think it was 1888, but I'm too lazy to look it up) showed that 171 named cultivars represented only 61 truly different lines. Also, I and others have suspected that many of the large pinks (Ferris Wheel, Brimmer, etc.) that were offered by all the big seed companies in the early 1900s were selections (i.e. strains) of Ponderosa. Bonny Best has many associated names most of which are the same or are stains. Many of the family heirlooms were originally some named variety, but as it was passed down through the generations the variety name was forgotton. Add all of that up and yeah it is very likely that if tomatoes were DNA tested there would be substantially fewer varieties.

Randy

kygreg · June 11, 2013

Individuals and seed companies etc rename varieties for sales purposes.

dice · June 12, 2013

But specifically Earl of Edgecombe and Orange Jubilee, I do not know
if those are the same. Last time I grew Earl of Edgecombe, it was a
tree-type dwarf with rugose (super-wrinkly, thick leaves), RL foliage,
short with a thick stem. (Not super-sweet, but sweet and tasty, kind
of a tropical fruit like taste.) Fruit were more-or-less baseball sized
globes.

Growing, it looks just like one of the Dwarf Project plants that people
have been discussing in various threads.

I have not grown Orange Jubilee, but all of the listings that I have
seen for it online say simply "indeterminate". I get the impression
that it is a normal, regular-leaf indeterminate that will get about
6-7 feet tall and have mid-sized orange fruit wider than they are
tall (oblate).

Flavors you would have to compare for yourself.

Tapout · June 16, 2013

I personally think that there are a lot of varieties that are only improved strains not a totally new strain. It's partially the public's fault for the overindulgence of producing new varieties. People tend to want NEW and IMPROVED and the seed companies are just giving us what we want.

June 9, 2013	#1
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	DNA Testing of Tomatoes? The similarities that I have seen among (especially) various heirloom tomatoes has always made me wonder if "only the name is different" in many cases. This year I am growing Orange Jubilee and Earle of Edgecomb side-by-side, and thus far the plants are identical looking -- size, leaf cover, etc. This is just a recent example of what I've noticed especially about "beefsteaks" and "Ponderosa" types in the past. Is anyone aware of any testing by a university or Ag station on the DNA similarities/differences of tomatoes? -GG

June 12, 2013	#5
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	But specifically Earl of Edgecombe and Orange Jubilee, I do not know if those are the same. Last time I grew Earl of Edgecombe, it was a tree-type dwarf with rugose (super-wrinkly, thick leaves), RL foliage, short with a thick stem. (Not super-sweet, but sweet and tasty, kind of a tropical fruit like taste.) Fruit were more-or-less baseball sized globes. Growing, it looks just like one of the Dwarf Project plants that people have been discussing in various threads. I have not grown Orange Jubilee, but all of the listings that I have seen for it online say simply "indeterminate". I get the impression that it is a normal, regular-leaf indeterminate that will get about 6-7 feet tall and have mid-sized orange fruit wider than they are tall (oblate). Flavors you would have to compare for yourself. __________________ -- alias

June 9, 2013	#2
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	I wonder if DNA testing would eliminate a huge slice of apparent varieties that are actually identical?

June 11, 2013	#3
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	This has been discussed and the general consensus is that yep, a lot of varieties are the same. It's nothing new. A study done at Michigan Agricultural College in the late 1880's (I think it was 1888, but I'm too lazy to look it up) showed that 171 named cultivars represented only 61 truly different lines. Also, I and others have suspected that many of the large pinks (Ferris Wheel, Brimmer, etc.) that were offered by all the big seed companies in the early 1900s were selections (i.e. strains) of Ponderosa. Bonny Best has many associated names most of which are the same or are stains. Many of the family heirlooms were originally some named variety, but as it was passed down through the generations the variety name was forgotton. Add all of that up and yeah it is very likely that if tomatoes were DNA tested there would be substantially fewer varieties. Randy

June 11, 2013	#4
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Individuals and seed companies etc rename varieties for sales purposes.

June 16, 2013	#6
Tapout Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 355	I personally think that there are a lot of varieties that are only improved strains not a totally new strain. It's partially the public's fault for the overindulgence of producing new varieties. People tend to want NEW and IMPROVED and the seed companies are just giving us what we want.