Re: saving seeds
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 3:01 pm
I'm being a bit mischievous here. In Simpson's Seeds 'Tomato Book' they say that they and many other seed merchants/growers are sure that many varietes sold as Fi hybrids are actually standard, open-pollinted varieties that would breed true. As they say, the temptation to register a new variety as an F1 is substantial because it enables the breeders to charge much more for the seed - and once a variety is registered as an F1, seed merchants have to sell it as such.
They also say there is an interesting exception. Open-pollinated varieties can be crossed with a disease-resistant variety, then repeatedly back-crossed with the original non-resistant parent: after three generations the tomato will be identical to the original parent, but with the disease resistance built in. Technically, says Simpson's, these are F1 varieties, but they will all breed true. This is what has happened with Sweet 100, Supersweet 100 and Sweet Million, apparently.
Having said all that, I have absolutely no information about Sungold - but for someone with more space than I have, it might be worth sowing a few self-saved seeds to see what happens....
They also say there is an interesting exception. Open-pollinated varieties can be crossed with a disease-resistant variety, then repeatedly back-crossed with the original non-resistant parent: after three generations the tomato will be identical to the original parent, but with the disease resistance built in. Technically, says Simpson's, these are F1 varieties, but they will all breed true. This is what has happened with Sweet 100, Supersweet 100 and Sweet Million, apparently.
Having said all that, I have absolutely no information about Sungold - but for someone with more space than I have, it might be worth sowing a few self-saved seeds to see what happens....