Your Favorite Fusarium Resistant OP's?

shelleybean · November 5, 2009

I realize not many OP's have been tested for Fusarium resistance but I was hoping to get some comments on flavor in wilt resistant varieties. I didn't use any Rootshield this year and I could see a difference. I was only able to pick for a few weeks and I want to combine resistant varieties and the Rootshield to extend that, but I also want them to taste good!

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

**nctomatoman** · November 6, 2009

I've not experienced complete Fusarium resistance, with heirlooms or hybrids - if it is there, it impacts the plant eventually. I find it varies seasonally, as well as location in the garden as well.

All I can say after all my years of growing many varieties is that a few seem to have more staying power - I've had very good luck with Aker's West Virginia, Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red, Red Brandywine, Rasp Large Red, and Cherokee Purple - meaning that when plants near/around them are going down with F, they last moderately to significantly longer. (this isn't a complete list, but they are the ones that come to mind).

The flip side is that many really struggle, and in fact, can go down prior to even one ripe fruit - that list is much longer, unfortunately, for my main Raleigh garden...though again, varies by season and location.

I can barely get Yellow Pear or Green Zebra to fruit at all, even when grown in a bleached pot with fresh soil.

Suze · November 6, 2009

Mortgage Lifter VFN is a good tasting OP red.

Momotaro F1 is listed/tested for F tolerance, so another one to try perhaps. I love Momotaro and think it's a great variety, so although it is a hybrid, I thought I would mention it. Several who have grown out the F2 and F3 seeds have said they see little or no difference in the taste or appearance of fruits, but I have not personally seen any comments either way as to whether subsequent gens of Momo retain any of that F tolerance that the F1 has. Might be worth experimenting with on your part, though.

shelleybean · November 8, 2009

Thanks for the suggestions. I grew Aker's West Virginia but never got to see how it did later in the season because I lost the plant to TSWV. Rasp Large Red did pretty well in my garden. I considered Mortgage Lifter VFN, wondering how the flavor compared to the Radiator Charlie's version. Lots to think about over the next couple of months!

Thank you!

Fusion_power · January 4, 2010

Eva Purple Ball, Arkansas Traveller, Burgundy Traveller, Atkinson, Marion, Tropic, and Walters all have significant levels of tolerance to Fusarium. Of this list, Eva Purple Ball sticks out like a sore thumb because it is supposed to be an heirloom but the disease tolerance it shows is more like some of the early VF varieties. None of these varieties have exceptional flavor.

I have tons of seed from an Eva Purple Ball X Big Beef cross that I am working on stabilizing to a pink nearly round fruit on semi-determinant plants. There is lots of disease tolerance in the stock so selection is based on production and consistency mostly. If you would like a few seed to trial, pm me an address.

DarJones

**Tom Wagner** · January 5, 2010

Quote:

I realize not many OP's have been tested for Fusarium resistance but I was hoping to get some comments on flavor in wilt resistant varieties.

I probably need to get my creations tested for Fusarium resistance. I am starting my third decade of breeding with the triple Fusarium I, I2 and I3 and one of my favorite original strains is the Florida strain Fla 7481.

I don't need all of this 3 way resistance where I live here in the NW but I try to introgress the genes into many heirloom types of tomatoes for the purpose of just that. Independently of Dr. Gardner of NC I made the cross of Fla 7481 to NC 84173 many years ago and this past season grew out some OP's of those. I notice that the hybrid Amelia is a cross of Randy's NC 11F-2(98) which traces the same lineage.

Some day I will have to test my lines to see if I was able to get the unusual heirloom traits and FFF combined. Fla 7481 also is a high lycopene line and that I see in the lines because the flowers have that Old Gold color. BTW, Fla 7481 does not have a lot of flavor and my crosses and segregating lines are much better.

Tom Wagner

shelleybean · January 5, 2010

Yay! Thanks for all the info, guys. Atkinson is already on my grow list for this year. I'm adding varieties along the way and all the suggestions are a big help! Thank you!

mtbigfish · January 10, 2010

Tom
Since you are no longer in Calif (Bakersfield) don't forget us with I3 - hopefully you will get all 3 strains tested and on the market

How is the weather in WA - do you get much growing time to pursue your tater and mater trials like you did in Kansas and Calif - hope your varieties make it someday soon
Dennis

November 5, 2009	#1
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Your Favorite Fusarium Resistant OP's? I realize not many OP's have been tested for Fusarium resistance but I was hoping to get some comments on flavor in wilt resistant varieties. I didn't use any Rootshield this year and I could see a difference. I was only able to pick for a few weeks and I want to combine resistant varieties and the Rootshield to extend that, but I also want them to taste good! Thanks for any suggestions you may have. __________________ Michele

November 6, 2009	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I've not experienced complete Fusarium resistance, with heirlooms or hybrids - if it is there, it impacts the plant eventually. I find it varies seasonally, as well as location in the garden as well. All I can say after all my years of growing many varieties is that a few seem to have more staying power - I've had very good luck with Aker's West Virginia, Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red, Red Brandywine, Rasp Large Red, and Cherokee Purple - meaning that when plants near/around them are going down with F, they last moderately to significantly longer. (this isn't a complete list, but they are the ones that come to mind). The flip side is that many really struggle, and in fact, can go down prior to even one ripe fruit - that list is much longer, unfortunately, for my main Raleigh garden...though again, varies by season and location. I can barely get Yellow Pear or Green Zebra to fruit at all, even when grown in a bleached pot with fresh soil. __________________ Craig

November 8, 2009	#4
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Thanks for the suggestions. I grew Aker's West Virginia but never got to see how it did later in the season because I lost the plant to TSWV. Rasp Large Red did pretty well in my garden. I considered Mortgage Lifter VFN, wondering how the flavor compared to the Radiator Charlie's version. Lots to think about over the next couple of months! Thank you! __________________ Michele

January 5, 2010	#7
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Yay! Thanks for all the info, guys. Atkinson is already on my grow list for this year. I'm adding varieties along the way and all the suggestions are a big help! Thank you! __________________ Michele

November 6, 2009	#3
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Mortgage Lifter VFN is a good tasting OP red. Momotaro F1 is listed/tested for F tolerance, so another one to try perhaps. I love Momotaro and think it's a great variety, so although it is a hybrid, I thought I would mention it. Several who have grown out the F2 and F3 seeds have said they see little or no difference in the taste or appearance of fruits, but I have not personally seen any comments either way as to whether subsequent gens of Momo retain any of that F tolerance that the F1 has. Might be worth experimenting with on your part, though.

January 4, 2010	#5
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Eva Purple Ball, Arkansas Traveller, Burgundy Traveller, Atkinson, Marion, Tropic, and Walters all have significant levels of tolerance to Fusarium. Of this list, Eva Purple Ball sticks out like a sore thumb because it is supposed to be an heirloom but the disease tolerance it shows is more like some of the early VF varieties. None of these varieties have exceptional flavor. I have tons of seed from an Eva Purple Ball X Big Beef cross that I am working on stabilizing to a pink nearly round fruit on semi-determinant plants. There is lots of disease tolerance in the stock so selection is based on production and consistency mostly. If you would like a few seed to trial, pm me an address. DarJones

January 10, 2010	#8
mtbigfish Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Chillicothe Ohio - left Calif July 2010 Posts: 451	Tom Since you are no longer in Calif (Bakersfield) don't forget us with I3 - hopefully you will get all 3 strains tested and on the market How is the weather in WA - do you get much growing time to pursue your tater and mater trials like you did in Kansas and Calif - hope your varieties make it someday soon Dennis