Tomato rootstocks

[Dominic J]

Has anyone tried to grow them out and collected seed?

I haven't found much info on the subject. On other forums, I've seen a few mentions of people planning to do it, but then not posting the results. I found one mention with more details, I believe, about 'Maxifort' not giving a good tasting fruit at all.

All of these varieties are described as F1 hybrids. But then again, of course they are, why wouldn't they be described this way, even if it was true? It's a pretty strong disclaimer to dissuade seed saving, which would be otherwise tempting given the price of these seeds.

So my questions are on these subjects: If you've grown a rootstock to seed, what did it taste like, did the progeny suggest it was truly a hybrid or did it breed true, and if it did not breed true, how much variation was observed?

I intend to try this with 'Estamino' this year, and I'm curious to see if others have attempted it.

[William S.]

Some rootstocks are F1 habrochaites x domestic. That could be a really fun but frustrating project.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

I haven't grown Maxifort, but I understand it is derived from Solanum habrochaites, which is a green fruited species. Taste tends towards acrid and acidic. Solanum habrochaites are generally self-sterile, and any offspring are also self-sterile, therefore they are all F1 hybrids. If the variety is pure Solanum habrochaites,  it's very possible that they are true breeding F1 hybrids!!!! Gotta love the promiscuous tomatoes.

I've grown lots of interspecies hybrids between S habrochaites and domestic tomatoes. That's some fun growing, with huge diversity.

[Dominic J]

I just noticed there was a tomato subforum, whoops.

What's wrong with habrochaites? Are there fertility issues due to hybridization? Or is it because of self-sterility?

https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/nph.14130

This paper seems to suggest they can be all sorts of things, regarding fertility.

'Estamino' seems to have the most resistances of the bunch available (though it doesn't have them all). I figure there's nothing to lose by letting it bear fruit. If it breeds true, cheap rootstock seeds for the future. If it crosses out to my other varieties, then that's the start of yet another breeding project.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

The tomato forum has existed for a few minutes. No worries...

The versions of S habrochaites that I grow are 100% out-crossing. Nothing wrong with that, it's just different than the strategy used by domestic tomatoes.

If you grow Estamino, I recommend using at least 5 plants, to increase the odds that you get some plants that aren't closely related for cross-pollination.

[Dominic J]

Good info, thanks!

I'll think about it. On one hand, I would like a supply of true 'Estamino' seeds. On the other, maybe I wouldn't need to bother with grafting if I just cross it the other other varieties I'm growing, such as 'Mountain Magic' and 'Jasper'.

[William S.]

Should be interesting. I sure enjoy the interspecies hybrids. We have threads for that around here somewhere. Also on homegrown goodness.

[Dominic J]

Well, I just got my first 'Estamino' rootstock tomato. Not 100% certain it was fully ripe, was still a little pale, but the stem was broken and it was soft to the touch.

Despite this, it tasted like a pretty acceptable medium-small red plum tomato. Despite being a "generative" rootstock, the plants themselves seem pretty vegetative, there's a LOT of vegetation, though perhaps it's just a bit slow to yield, because despite not having many fruits, there are quite a lot of flowers. The yield may just come a little later. They also seem to be self-fertile. I live in the middle of commercial farms, endless acres of wheat around me this year, no bumblebees in sight.

I could see myself growing this rootstock for the fruits themselves.

[Andrew Barney]

https://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/Misc-stocks%20list%202015.pdf

8.  Interspecific hybrids (2).  LA4135 F1S. lycopersicum VF36×S. pennellii LA0716.  This hybrid is useful as a rootstock.  We  use  it for  maintenance  of S.  sitiens, and  sometimes S.  juglandifolium, and S. ochranthum. LA4488   F1S.  lycopersicum NC  84173×S.  pennellii LA0716.    A  rootstock  hybrid  with  ToMV resistance.

The pennellii hybrids we are growing out are sometimes used as rootstocks. And since they grow like monsters i can see why!!!

p.s. William, can you send me seed from the one seed of  "LA4488"  pennellii hybrid with ToMV resistance that you grew out? My one seed died this summer. I would like that ToMV resistance. Thanks!

[Dominic J]

Estamino's quoted for a ton of resistances, one of the reason I picked it.

F3
    Fusarium Wilt (Races 1, 2, and 3)
FOR
    Fusarium Crown and Root Rot
LM
    Resistant to Leaf Molds A-E
N
    Nematodes
TOMV
    Tomato Mosaic Virus
TSWV
    Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus
V
    Verticillium Wilt

[William S.]

https://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/Misc-stocks%20list%202015.pdf

The pennellii hybrids we are growing out are sometimes used as rootstocks. And since they grow like monsters i can see why!!!

p.s. William, can you send me seed from the one seed of  "LA4488"  pennellii hybrid with ToMV resistance that you grew out? My one seed died this summer. I would like that ToMV resistance. Thanks!
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Yep