[RandyG]

To Tom Wagner and other breeders

I have released several op lines with the Sw-5 gene for TSWV resistance and these lines have other useful resistance genes also. All of my Sw-5 lines originated from the hybrid Amelia which I co-developed with a seed company breeder. All of the lines I have released so far are determinate and some of them are used in commercial hybrids such as Fletcher, Mountain Glory, Crista and a new plum tomato hybrid, Plum Regal, which should be on the market next year. I am also working on getting TSWV resistance into good grape tomatoes. If you type NC tomato breeding program into Yahoo or Google, you will see the link to my website. All the TSWV resistant lines require a signed seed tranfer agreement (available for download at the website with instructions for submitting) and are intended for use as parent materials for hybrids and as a source of resistance for developing new varieties. They are not available to growers who just want to grow them for production of fruit and not use them in breeding. It would be easy to develop op heirloom types by backcrossing the Sw-5 gene into heirloom varieties. There is a good molecular marker for the Sw-5 gene and there are commercial labs that will test your backcross lines for a reasonable fee to help you identify your segregating lines with the Sw-5 gene. The TSWV resisatnt lines I have worked with have been crossed and selected enough that I don't see any bad traits associated with the resistance. The backcross into heirloom varieties would be very straightforward. The newest line I have released, NC 1CS, has the crimson gene for increased lycopene. This gene would also be useful to cross into some heirlooms. I am presently working on early blight and late blight resistance in heirloom types and plan on putting the Sw-5 gene into some of these lines.
Tom, I hope to hear from you with an update on your breeding.
Randy