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Post by caledonian on Jan 20, 2017 17:11:43 GMT -5
I noticed years ago that Carol Deppe suggested trying crosses between people's favorite varieties of tomatoes with Caro Rich. It's a variety that's colored by beta carotene, the carotene that's nutritionally relevant to humans, and it has two genes that combined result in it having many times more beta carotene than normal. Deppe thought it might be a good idea to create bright orange varieties that otherwise contained the traits of cherished types.
Well, the seed sources I frequented never seemed to carry Caro Rich, so I eventually went looking, and now I have a small amount of seeds. I'm planning on growing them out this year, and trying crosses once I have a backup supply of the strain. One 'problem' is that one of the two important genes is known to be tightly linked to the determinate trait, and I happen to prefer indeterminate growth patterns. But I can compromise if necessary.
Does anyone know why Caro Rich is so uncommon (possibly unpopular)? Are there any considerations I ought to be aware of in my breeding efforts? I'm thinking of trying to make crosses with paste/drying tomatoes, currant tomatoes, and maybe Sungold.
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Post by raymondo on Jan 20, 2017 17:22:13 GMT -5
I grew it once a number of years ago. Quite a nice tomato but nothing special flavour-wise. As to linkages, they do break, but how would you know? Worth having a go at it though, if only for the enjoyment of seeing what comes of it. I read somewhere that the tomato Jaune Flammee is also high in beta-carotenes and it's indeterminate. Whether it has the same beta-carotene genetics as Caro Rich I couldn't say.
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Post by caledonian on Jan 20, 2017 17:27:44 GMT -5
My only current concern is that compounds that are responsible for color also sometimes affect flavor, which is why no one's all that interested in Ms. Rebsie Fairholm's red-podded snow peas. The anthrocyanins taste funny. Come to think of it, how do the relatively new 'blue' tomatoes taste?
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Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on Jan 20, 2017 19:19:50 GMT -5
I don't know anything about Carro Rich tomatoes, but sounds interesting. Keep us in the loop. I'd be interested to know if Carro Rich contains the "t" tangerine gene or the "Del" gene for orange. Based on the fist link below Tangarine-types are more common, but who knows. I'm currently investigating orange tomatoes including some that have the tangerine gene, which is one of two (now three if you include the new apricot gene) pathways to orange tomatoes. Tangerine types are reported as having higher (bio-avilable?) Lycopene content i thought (though i could be mistaken). I'm looking in to them first because i might like orange and yellow tomatoes better than red. Partly for taste, partly because i'm just tired of red tomatoes. I'm investigating the tangarine types specifically for the dark orange flowers and dark orange anthers that are reported on these varieties and i'm curious if this can be used to attract more bees. I'm also looking into the crimson gene as well as the tangarine gene. Some people claim that anthocyanins taste funny and i won't argue with their taste buds or genetics. But i would have to disagree in general for myself. I prefer fruits that have anthocyanins and think they taste better to me. I haven't found them to taste badly in corn or other vegetables i can think of. Well maybe cabbage. But i hate all types of cabbage, so that doesn't count. In fact i know Joseph and Steev were growing a red corn variety joseph discovered that he named "cherry corn" - because he said it tasted like cherries! In the case of Rebsie's red-podded i have not noticed any bad flavor. My strain comes mostly from Josephs breeding, but i doubt Rebsie's taste any different. More they are not popular YET is because most people don't have access to them yet. You will see them in a few years in garden magazines i'm sure. Those magazines are just waiting to get ahold of red-podded peas i'm certain of it. Calvin Lamborn's red-podded snap peas are just now starting to hit the market a bit. The only time i have read that people don't like anthocyanin pea pods are the ones referred to as "blauwschokkers" or "blue podded". Perhaps The anthocyanins enhance somehow other bad tasting compounds, but i personally don't like blauwschokkers all that much, not because it's pods taste poor because of purple pods, but because they taste poor because it's a really old unimproved heirloom shelling pea and has lots of fiber and other untasty genes. In the case of most (maybe all) blue tomatoes, yes they taste relatively poor. Is that the case of the anthocyanins? maybe. I personally doubt it, though it's possible i suppose. More likely tight genetic linkage to other wild genes that taste awful. The tomaoto breeders and tinkerer's are just now starting to make some new crosses that SOME of them claim taste ok or even good. But having said all that... How do i know if anthocyanins taste funny to other people? I really don't, for all i know they could. Maybe that's why farmers for centuries in European countries bred white and color-less vegetables and crops. All i know is i like them. But to me Cilantro is poisonous to me and my genetics. Other people say that they love cilantro and that it tastes "fresh". But to me it tastes soapy, highly poisonous, and my tongue feels like it starts to go numb! Whether it is actually poisonous to me i don't know, all i know is i am tasting some sort of alkaloid that most of the general population does not. Therefore i try my best to avoid it. Here's a link that might be interesting: frogsleapfarm.blogspot.com/2014/04/genetic-control-of-fruit-color-in.htmlwww.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=20442www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=15810But, hey you won't know until you try! Either you will fail and know how to improve next time, or you will succeed. Or you will discover something new and succeed in ways you never even thought of!
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Post by kctomato on Mar 2, 2017 17:58:45 GMT -5
Caro Rich is the Beta 'B' gene.
In a better background it might improve the flavor.
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