I hear you dfollett on the variability of F2 and F3.
Always surprises, and easy to miss a (or the) trait you wanted if you only grow one or two. Not even to mention that fruit quality varies anyhow with growing conditions including the weather. It would be easy to be disappointed if you aren't mentally prepared for the challenge - and for a certain amount of fruit that is bound for the sauce.
As for ideal, I personally want something specific to our indoor winter conditions - something that's happy with very low light conditions and temperatures between 64-68 F, that is not leggy or sickly or unproductive or crappy sour fruit. Not asking much eh.
Small fruit or cherry is okay, but I do want them to be tasty and sweet. Great taste and full range of colors would be priority goals, because there are already "good" micros in red (and yellow and orange?). I haven't even grown but one OP micro as yet so don't really know what's out there.
As for the different foliage types, that fuzzy leaf is super cute.
I personally really like the standard rugose RL though because it looks healthy and perky all the time. I tend to worry about wispy droopy leafed plants, so unless the fruit is out of this world tasty and gorgeous I would gravitate to ordinary dwarf leaf because.. I don't need the stress.
Also on a community level, I think the average consumer would be more likely willing to try a plant that looks perky and well. And that is an important consideration for me, because the food insecurity in this part of the world is pretty bad. Winter is too long, summer is too cool, and agriculture has been out of the picture. We only produce 10% of our food here. The feasibility of big and/or heated greenhouse operations is ??? maybe doubtful, but winter food status can be greatly improved if more people are willing to try cohabitation with a few vegetables.
Microtoms definitely fit into that picture.
So I am thrilled to see the progress that you're making with some good collaborators.
