Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth_10
And do remember there is the dehybridized Ramapo around. Carolyn did the original dehybridization out to F3. Barkeater noted reduced yield for the dehybridized Ramapo as compared to the F1, but says he needs to do a side-by-side comparison.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=Ramapo
I grew Ramapo from F5 seeds in 2007, so the seeds I saved would be F6. Production was very good and the taste was excellent as well. I intend to bring this one back in 2008. |
I didn't get any response from Rutgers when I first requested to be put on the waiting list. I did get an answer after I emailed them a second time.
Here is some info that I got from the folks at Rutgers:
Jack Rabin <rabin@aesop.rutgers.edu> to me, Cindy, John, Peter
show details
8/24/07
From: Jim
Subject: Ramapo Tomato
I recently read an article about Rutger's efforts in createing better market
tomatoes. Ramapo was mentioned as a good, but no longer commercially
available, variety. Can you tell me what Ramapo's parent varieties are? And
is Rutgers planning any comparisons to open pollenated strains of Ramapo,
such as those being distributed by Seed Savers' Exchange, and others?
Thanks, Jim
*****************************
Dear Jim:
I will copy for you below the email I sent to one of the readers of the
Phila. Inquirer article.
Yes, the purpose and goals of the current field trials our scientists are
conducting is comparing garden/commercial hybrids against each other, and
also one of our breeders is comparing performance of hybrids with various
open pollinated tomato lines. By definiation, open pollinated lines of
Ramapo do not exist. The parent lines of Ramapo are ordinary tomatoes which
are not exceptional in any way, and seed is not available. It is the F1
hybrid seed of their combination which has the characteristics people prize.
******************************
On 8/15/07 9:48 AM, "Marder, Dianna" <
dmarder@phillynews.com> wrote:
jack, can you help this reader? Dianna Marder The Philadelphia Inquirer
Read with great interest your article on The Jersey Tomato which appeared in
today¹s Inquirer. As an avid hobbyist grower of heirloom tomatoes, could you
tell me how I might get the ³list of the all-stars² developed by the Rutgers
researchers in their evaluation of heirlooms, which you referenced in your
article. Your assistance here will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You. Regards, Rich
Dianna:
Rich can find the Rutgers NJAES ³All-Star Heirloom Tomato Variety List² from
our field research evaluations posted on the web.
Go here:
http://njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/archive.html
And click on the link for August 14, 2006. Technically, some of the
varieties like Ramapo and Lemon Boy are not heirlooms. But, it¹s quality and
flavor that matter, not how a tomato is categorized.
I will post the Ramapo seed source for this reader also:
Thanks for reading Dianna's article in the Phila. Inquirer. Rutgers NJAES
gets many requests from passionate tomato lovers for Rutgers Ramapo F1
Hybrid Tomato.
You are requesting Ramapo just at the right time and place at Rutgers New
Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station history because for the first time in
20 years we have contracted with a specialized organic hybrid seed
production farm to make Rutgers Ramapo seed for us, which we will have ready
for sale to the public about February 2008. It has taken time to find a
production farm capable of managing each parent and making the painstaking
careful hand pollinations at a cost we can afford.
Please email Cindy Rovins in the address above and request to get on her
Ramapo seed list for gardening season 2008.
The Ramapo story is interesting, and parallels Dianna's story. It was bred
by retired Rutgers Professor of Horticulture Bernie Pollack (now 87) during
the 1960s and 1970s. Upon its release people noted Ramapo had wonderful
flavor - it was a winner - along with good reliable horticultural traits
like disease resistance, freedom from cracking in mid-Atlantic States' hot
humid summers, a vigorous plant, good yield, etc. Ramapo's weakness for
commercial farmers was a medium to late maturity in the summer (earliness
and greatness don't usually go together).
Sakata Seed Company of Japan stopped making Ramapo seed commercially years
ago. We used remaining sources, and made some of our own here at Rutgers.
Ramapo is NOT a beefstake tomato, it is a traditional medium globe shape,
but has flavor profile when ripe equal to the beefstake and heirloom
tomatoes you recall.
Yes, the tomato genetics changed. Professor Randy Gardener, tomato breeder
at North Carolina State Univ., believes that genetic selection for firmness
is inversely correlated with fruit flavor.
Please contact Cindy and get on her mail list.
We welcome you back a Ramapo grower!
Jack Rabin, Associate Director - Farm Programs
Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station