Sunlucky finally getting stable
 

Keith M crossed Little Lucky X Sungold several years ago and had F2 plants in 2009 of which one was exceptionally good flavored and very sweet. I got a few seed and started growing and selecting from the offspring. This is an F5 plant with fruit that look and taste more like a very sweet apricot than a tomato. Sugar content is easily as high as Sungold with a distinctive tangy flavor from Little Lucky. Fruit quality is very high though the interior is a bit softer than I would prefer. Sungold's astringency is totally gone, meaning that people like me who can't stand the smell and taste of Sungold will love the flavor of this tomato. This is a salad and fresh eating tomato beyond anything else that I have grown.

Keith has a selected line from this cross that he is debating releasing.

Let me emphasize that I can't send anyone seed of this tomato at this time!

As you can see in the picture, it is susceptible to longitudinal cracking caused by excessive rainfall, but the cracks don't do much damage to the fruit. Color is a very eye pleasing red over yellowish orange. Size is 2.5 inches long by 1.25 inches wide with a very slight nipple on the bottom.
[IMG]http://www.selectedplants.com/miscan/sunlucky2a.jpg[/IMG]

cool , I would like to try some after they get released

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen such a glowing report from you. Must really be something special. When you say it's "a salad and fresh eating tomato beyond anything else that I have grown", I'm all ears. Thanks for your work developing this gem.

Have you guys compared notes to your selections? If they are different enough maybe you could offer some?:dance:

That's gonna be some tomato when you get it ready to go! Congratulations!

Looks.. mouthwatering! Beautiful colour. :)

Right on time, with the once a year tease.;)

I thought Keith made the original selection using the aroma of the leaves as a marker since he thought it was closely linked to the Sungold taste, whichmany like, but see below.

I know he sent seeds to Craig in Raleigh, LuckyCross being one of the parents , but I didn't know he sent seeds to you as well.

Is Keith still working with his original selection, however it looks like he's now working with one of your selections.

I didn't know you disliked Sungold F1 so strongly, I seldom see anyone post that they don't like it. But we all know that there's a lotof variables that go into the personal taste of a variety.

Carolyn, noting that Keith doesn't like the taste of Green Doctors, so there you go.:)

Nice looking tomato Dar, and I like your description.
Agree with you on Sungold - not a fan. You nailed it with astringent....

How many fruits on a truss?

There are up to 6 fruits in a single cluster. I picked about 20 ripe so far. It is tough to get them in the house. Somehow they wind up eaten.

Carolyn, Keith did not send me seed. I picked the fruit from the plant in Keith's back yard in 2009, with his permission. Segregation has been atrocious. Only one of those roughly 200 seed made a plant that produced something similar to the right flavor. I'm up to F5 now and it is starting to be consistent. A couple more generations of single plant selection should show if this one is stable.

Keith is working with a sibling line that he has been growing out and selecting. His is probably nearer stable than mine, I think he is up to F6 or F7 by now.

Consider me giddy. Those are two delicious parents. Very excited about this.

That is a beautiful tomsto! What an exciting project, thanks for reviewing it for us. I will keep my eye out for this one in the years to come.

Any updates to this tomato?

[QUOTE=nancyruhl;421972]Wow, I don't think I have ever seen such a glowing report from you. Must really be something special. When you say it's "a salad and fresh eating tomato beyond anything else that I have grown", I'm all ears. Thanks for your work developing this gem.[/QUOTE]

This^

Hurry and release it though, I bet my son 20$ I could grow a tomato he liked. Maybe this is it. ;)