Mountain Roma X F2 Sun Sugar aka (Serenity) (Sweet Dreams)

[amideutch]

The original cross was from Tom Wagner and Tatiana grew it out to the F2 stage with the resulting color variations "Serenity" (orange fruited) and "Sweet Dreams" (Red Fruited). I was lucky enough to get seed for both from Tatiana and am growing the F3's in containers. Both Plants have heavy fruit set and the Red Fruited "Sweet Dreams" was first with ripe fruit and "Serenity" close behind but no ripe fruit as of today. I am posting several pictures of Sweet Dreams plant and fruit. The interesting thing is the flower clusters range from normal to a spray of fruit. Size does vary and the taste of the first fruit was outstanding. Not overpowering sweetness as sunsugar yet a tomato flavor thats enduring and one you would not want to spoil with a vineger type dressing. A chefs delight if you will and a bowl of these on any dinner table will not last long. All the pictures are "Sweet Dreams" except the last two which are the "Serenity" plant to give you an idea of fruit set and physical stature. Ami

[amideutch]

Here's two pictures of Serenity with the fruit almost ripe and two more of the Sweet Dreams plant loading up. Ami

[Tania]

How was the taste of your Serenity?

I am so glad you got the orange color. Out of my 6 plants I got 2 orange-reds, 1 peach-colored and 3 orange ones. Peach-colored was the earliest.

Tania

[Fusion_power]

Tom was considerate enough to send me some seed to grow from a few of his crosses. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of the more unusual ones.

Note that I agreed NOT to distribute seed!

DarJones

[amideutch]

Evidently that was NOT a prerequisite when Tatiana got her seed. Ami

[Tania]

Originally Posted by amideutch

Evidently that was NOT a prerequisite when Tatiana got her seed. Ami

That's correct. The only seed that Tom asked me not to distribute was 'Beyond Verde Claro'.

Btw, I only got 2 seeds of this particular F1 from Tom, and the plants gave me different fruits - red and orange. It would be interesting to see if other colors show up if someone grows more than 2 plants of the original F1.

Ted is the only person who got F2 seeds from me for both the red and orange fruited lines. Growing F2 myself it is obvious that Serenity needs further stabilizing, as only 67% of the plants had orange fruit.

Tania

[amideutch]

Here are some updated pictures of Serenity just about ready to be harvested. The last two pictures are fruit clusters from Sweet Dreams and I love the shape of these tomatoes. Ami

[Tom Wagner]

Guess I'll jump into the conversation!

Most of my creations in tomatoes are tied up pretty well until I get a handle on the Where, What, Why, and How of the situation.

When I dropped of that seed of the F-5 Mountain Roma X F-2 Sun Sugar to Tania about three hours north of me, I did not make any restrictions on the seed and development.

After seeing the promising results of the Serenity and Sweet Dreams, I am glad I didn't throw any roadblocks into the fray.

I have saved seed from my Mt. Roma/SunSugar F-2 plants grown in 2" pots. I am favoring the Serenity types with orange flesh on a mini roma type with firm flesh and crack resistance. My field plants are yet to be reviewed.

My release of breeding lines is due for a case of a classic Review-Process-Reflect-Debriefing.

Tomato breeding and grower/breeder participation. Where growing out segregating tomato lines is a form of being a Learner!!!

You are more in touch with learners' perspectives.
You are developing their communication skills.
You are developing learning skills (yours and theirs).
You are adding value to what is already happening.
You are making benefits more tangible.
You are generating evidence for evaluation.
You become more alert and responsive.
You help learners clarify and achieve their objectives.
You make transfer of learning more likely.
LEARNERS ENJOY IT!

The beautiful pictures of the offspring of Mountain Roma and my selection of Sun Sugar is already testimony that the (YOU) in the above bulleting is (US) now.

Reminds me that I have many potential lines to inject into this international effort of growing out selections of my unique hybrids. However, I do intend to control the release and potential sale of selected lines and hybrids.

One very good potential is a recombinant of Stupice and Sun Sugar into a line of red cherry tomatoes with a touch of sweetness. Potato leaves with hundreds of fruit setting is fine to look at. I have this line now crossed with Sophya, a indeterminate tomato that carries Spotted Wilt resistance. The hybrid seed will throw half of the seedlings with the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) tolerance. The resistant lines could have their seed extracted to obtain some valuable and flavorful new creations. One in four would be true breeding for the TSWV. Go back and read what is in the quote box to see if this applies.

Thanks everybody!

Back to seed extraction.

Tom Wagner

[amideutch]

Tom, it's very rare that we actually get a chance to see your world as far as the creations you are making in the tomato/potato arena. And even more rare to be able to grow one out and I feel very fortunate that Tatiana gave me that chance. Serenity and Sweet Dreams will be a perennial for me. If, when and how I distribute the seed of these two varieties will be totally up to Tatiana. Thank you again for giving us this rare opportunity. Ami

[Tom Wagner]

Tom, it's very rare that we actually get a chance to see your world as far as the creations you are making in the tomato/potato arena.

Ami,

What you said made me re-think some of what I do. I realize that I am way too close to my work and others barely see a glimpse other than what has been out there for 25 years or so.

I talk and write about these things, and occasionally post a picture (when I remember how) and write a bit on my own blog and forum (small, only 48 members), and I obviously think (unrealistically) that people know and see what I am doing. What you and Tania have illustrated with photos is that I am remiss in getting evidence of my work out to others to see.

So, I suppose I should thank the two of you for an unforeseen extension of my variety work.

That being said, I looked at current work with the female parent (Mountain Roma) that led to the Serenity and Sweet Dreams prototypes.

I just extracted seed of a hybrid plant of [(Mountain Roma X Jubilee) X F-4 (Purple Perfect X Brandy Stripe)]. This fruit is red obviously, but with slight stripes and roma/plum shape. It will segregate for potato leaf, red/yellow, pink/yellow, red, pink or gold, roma or round, large or small fruited, and a host of other traits.

Interesting to note in my pedigree analysis that the roma shape is 13 generations back in the seed saving, or twenty years ago. BTW, the fruit was from a 2" potted plant. Tomatoes that set and produce in such restricted space are excellent candidates for earliness and hardiness. It was from the only one of 6 sibling plants to fruit. I will have to see the field planted plants ripen soon.

I went back on the the number of generations of crossing/selfing and found that Jubilee on one side of the pedigree goes back 29 generations. The total amount of Jubilee is this clone is about 17/64ths Jubilee. And to think I can trace back to its' G-G-G-G-G-G grandmother on one side being Jubilee. A total of 23 parental names in the pedigree.

Those of you fairly new to breeding tomatoes or growing out segregants (selfs) of hybrids are going to have to live a while to catch up with me.

Tom Wagner

[amideutch]

Heres a few more pictures of Sweet Dreams ripening up on the vine. Ami

[Tania]

Ted,

I certainly would love to get back a few seeds from your Sweet Dream F2 - I did not grow it this year, and would like to continue to de-hyb the line. I love the fruit size and shape, and of course the taste!

My Serenity F2 are producing similarly shaped orange fruits, outstanding sweet flavor. I love it! Tom W. is the best.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/tatianak....60732412472242

http://picasaweb.google.ca/tatianak....53726881271074

Tania

[amideutch]

Tania, no problem on the seeds. Here's a few pictures of Sweet Dreams and Serenity I harvested yesterday. I've noticed they have graet taste no mater what stage of ripening their in. And that the Serenity fruit has thicker walls than Sweet Dreams. I'll take some pictures of them sliced. Ami

[Tania]

Ted,

These are absolutely gorgeous colors! (You pics made me want to go and pick more Serenity fruit for my morning salad - so I am out to the garden now, which I am so looking forward this morning as our 2 weeks non-stop cold rain finally stopped )

Some pictures of slightly under-ripe fruit:






Tania

[amideutch]

Am growing Sweet Dreams and Serenity again this year and here is a Picture of Sweet Dreams. Ami