Crossing tomato noob question.

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

For example, how do you know what traits are recessive vs dominate? Also is there a good book that would be helpful?

The list someone already posted is good, but can be overwhelming as there are a tremendous number of 'genes' found, but most of them are minor or useless except for scientific study. Also note that a number of genes and there 'allelles' recessive forms used to be noted by capitalization for the dominate genes and lower case for the recessive and early genes were named for the their dominate type (like R for Red-flesh). I've notice that in some cases the way things are noted have changed. Now genes are usually named for the recessive form and the dominate form of the gene is noted with a plus symbol (+). So the gene that controls determinate growth versus indeterminate is labeled as sp (for self-pruning) and the dominate form of the gene (which is the indeterminate form) is sp+.

Two good books to start with:

"Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving", 2nd edition by Carol Deppe (although I liked the 1st edition better)

"Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener: How to Create Unique Vegetables and Flowers" by Joseph Tychonievich

Neither is solely about tomatoes.

Chris

[Koala Doug]

I appreciate everyone's comments in this thread. It is nice to get a 'Noob Breeding 101' course here at Tomatoville!

[tpeltan]

Originally Posted by crmauch

The list someone already posted is good, but can be overwhelming as there are a tremendous number of 'genes' found, but most of them are minor or useless except for scientific study. Also note that a number of genes and there 'allelles' recessive forms used to be noted by capitalization for the dominate genes and lower case for the recessive and early genes were named for the their dominate type (like R for Red-flesh). I've notice that in some cases the way things are noted have changed. Now genes are usually named for the recessive form and the dominate form of the gene is noted with a plus symbol (+). So the gene that controls determinate growth versus indeterminate is labeled as sp (for self-pruning) and the dominate form of the gene (which is the indeterminate form) is sp+.

Two good books to start with:

"Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving", 2nd edition by Carol Deppe (although I liked the 1st edition better)

"Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener: How to Create Unique Vegetables and Flowers" by Joseph Tychonievich

Neither is solely about tomatoes.

Chris

I am not sure, but I think Carol Deppe has some notes about tomato breeding (and de-hybridizing F1 varieties) in her book The Tao of Vegetable Gardening (but I don´t have the book to check it).

Another easy-to-understand book about plant breeding (in general, no tomatoes) is HAYES, Herbert Kendall a Forrest Rhinehart IMMER. Methods of plant breeding. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1942. McGraw-Hill publications in the agricultural science.

I know, it is veeeeeery old, but it includes basic principles you need for basic breeding (combinatory breeding) explained in clear way.