Interested in Growing a Multiflora Dwarf?

Originally Posted by Allisa

Hi! Maybe they are blooming that crazy because they are in the raise bed?

All my plants are growing on a flat garden - no raised area.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by mashermike

Maybe this picture will show better. I think this plant is dwarf and not multiflora. I think it's about 14" give or take. Will do on taste test.

Thanks! It's really neat to see tomatoes that size on such small plants.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by mashermike

I have a couple of interesting (to me) 13X-F3-2 regular leaf. My 13X plants were last to bloom. The second plant has slightly larger than average fruit size which I think Dan is looking for. I have some plants with very gnarly leaf structure as you describe. I probably should cull them out.

Interesting! This contradicts some assumptions I have had about the genetics of multiflora. Those two plants are from the same batch of seeds. The F2 was definitely multiflora - not as dramatic as your first photo, but certainly multiflora.

If that characteristic were controlled by a single recessive gene, the multiflora trait should be fixed in future generations. It appears it is not fixed. That means there is more in play than I thought. You have one multiflora-to-the-max and a sibling that is not. Someone who know genetics better than I needs to explain that.

One characteristic I have wanted to find is a micro (or very tiny dwarf) that has large fruit. I hope those keep growing a while before they ripen. If they do, I'd like a few seeds from them even if it isn't multiflora.

I'm also eager to see what the first plant produces. Great work Mike, and thanks for posting.

How many others of you have had non-multiflora plants showing up from the same batch of seeds as multiflora? Actually, everything I sent out was from multiflora, although there is quite a wide range from slight to extreme.

[jmsieglaff]

Dan all 5 of my 11xF3 are multiflora. 1 of the 5 has huge truss while the others have fewer more spaced flowers but still multiflora. I wonder also if the degree of multiflora is simply heritable or if it is also more complex.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Dan all 5 of my 11xF3 are multiflora. 1 of the 5 has huge truss while the others have fewer more spaced flowers but still multiflora. I wonder also if the degree of multiflora is simply heritable or if it is also more complex.

Thanks. I don't know, but my bet is it is more complex with several factors working together. I hope someone who knows tells us.

[clkingtx]

Originally Posted by mashermike

Maybe this picture will show better. I think this plant is dwarf and not multiflora. I think it's about 14" give or take. Will do on taste test.

Can you get a close up of the other flower cluster a little higher up and on the other side? It looks like there are at least 5 flowers and 1 Fruit, and I can't see it all. Maybe I don't understand what a multiflora is.... I had No Doubt with my plants, because the flowers were so profuse... but at what point does it make it a multiflora plant? I am really curious now... Really curious about the genetics.....so I guess that would mean there are more than one gene that control the multiflora quality?


Cool stuff!

[mashermike]

Originally Posted by clkingtx

Can you get a close up of the other flower cluster a little higher up and on the other side? It looks like there are at least 5 flowers and 1 Fruit, and I can't see it all. Maybe I don't understand what a multiflora is.... I had No Doubt with my plants, because the flowers were so profuse... but at what point does it make it a multiflora plant? I am really curious now... Really curious about the genetics.....so I guess that would mean there are more than one gene that control the multiflora quality?

Maybe I have it wrong. Are you thinking the circled flowers make it multiflora?

[clkingtx]

I was thinking that maybe there were a lot more flowers not visible in the earlier picture. I see why you think this is not multiflora...I am not sure where the distinction is made between multiflora and not....I need to do some research, I guess.

In any case, it is a very nice looking plant. My 13x(from F3-7, I think) plants have proven to be strong resilient plants. One also produced the best tomatoes I have ever tasted. Hopefully yours will be equally tasty!

[korney19]

What I have never seen mentioned not only in this thread, but virtually any thread regarding multifloras, is the difference between the number of nodes between multiflora clusters and normal flower clusters:

Phenotype: Inflorescence branches excessively, resulting in a large hemispherical mass of 80 or more flowers and buds; inflorescence appears at every sixth node, instead of every third in normal genotypes.


Has anybody ever tried checking this?

[korney19]

Originally Posted by dfollett

Most of the time you can tell with the first flower cluster when they are very tiny. Occasionally, however, the multiflora does not show much until the second or third cluster of flowers.

I have seen reports on a different forum from a couple of people who say they can sometimes identify multiflora before they flower by watching for some sort of leaf curl on the seedling. I have not been able to see any indication of that myself with any of these. It would be great if we could find an early 'tell' for the trait.

Please watch and see if anything shows up. If you see something that might be a 'tell' make the rest of us aware and we can all watch for it. It would make working with the F2s much easier if we could find the multiflora trait earlier.

See my post above...I'd think if you saw clusters sooner than 6 nodes it may not be multiflora.

[charline]

I have two 13x-6. One is a nice dwarf multiflora and one is a bit later because the main stem broke. It has his first flower cluster with....1 ! flower !!! I will wait for the next one to see if this is really a "one flower multiflora".....

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by charline

I have two 13x-6. One is a nice dwarf multiflora and one is a bit later because the main stem broke. It has his first flower cluster with....1 ! flower !!! I will wait for the next one to see if this is really a "one flower multiflora".....

A "one flower multiflora" would sure have to be tasty to be invited back next year!

[Allisa]

Originally Posted by korney19

What I have never seen mentioned not only in this thread, but virtually any thread regarding multifloras, is the difference between the number of nodes between multiflora clusters and normal flower clusters:

Phenotype: Inflorescence branches excessively, resulting in a large hemispherical mass of 80 or more flowers and buds; inflorescence appears at every sixth node, instead of every third in normal genotypes.


Has anybody ever tried checking this?

Maybe it's true only for indeterminate varieties? Because on Barry's Crazy Cherry the next cluster is after three leaves in my garden.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Allisa

Maybe it's true only for indeterminate varieties? Because on Barry's Crazy Cherry the next cluster is after three leaves in my garden.

Yes, I tend to think that internode differences apply to just the indet and det varieties,since with true multifloras there is a single blossom stalk with hundreds of blossoms,and I don't see that applying to internode distances between single blossom stalks.

Carolyn

[korney19]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Yes, I tend to think that internode differences apply to just the indet and det varieties,since with true multifloras there is a single blossom stalk with hundreds of blossoms,and I don't see that applying to internode distances between single blossom stalks.

Carolyn

Did you read what C. M. Rick said above regarding the s gene?