For known stable varieties, Older seed has had less opportunity to be accodentally crossed. Certainly growing conditions, collection timing and techniques differ from person to person.
What I do know is I have not seen an accidental cross in seed I personally have saved but I have seen quite a few in traded seeds but I don't worry about it much. I eat the tomatoes which are generally good but I do not save any seed from those plants that do not grow out to match the expected form including plant habit. I think most suddenly different tomatoes are from crossed (or mixed up) seeds with only fairly unusual mutations making up the remainder.
I would not send out seed labelled as a known variety unless that tomato grew true to form.
KarenO
Last edited by KarenO; February 24, 2017 at 02:54 PM.
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