Crossing and Bridging with Solanum peruvianum

[William S.]

Published: October 1972

Breaking breeding barriers in Lycopersicon. 4. Breakdown of unilateral incompatibility between L. peruvianum (L.) Mill. and L. esculentum Mill.

    N. G. Hogenboom

Hmm,
It sounds to me like this is saying they made peruvianum that would cross readily with domestic. If some of the material you've requested is of that nature it would be easy to encorporate into breeding projects but not to work with peruvianum material that still has intact self incompatibility. I.E. might not be a good bridge. Not sure that matters much because the material should be interesting in its own right. However material with habrochaites or penellii self incompatibility it shouldn't complicate breeding with much because should work like any domestic with some introgression. So would be like working with galapagense, cheesemanii, and pimpinillifolium.

[Andrew Barney]

Had you success with ordering tomato seeds from GRIN ? Unlike species managed by other sections, i've been refused seeds of tomatoes because it is only for breeders, researchers ...

I've had success many times for multiple crop species. I haven't tried in awhile because it seemed like they got more finicky. But you definitely can't mark for gardening or you'll automatically get refused. And when I do put in a request I make sure to put a usually lengthy and heavy scientific explanation for what I want it for. Since my intended use is breeding and things like drought resistance, pest resistance etc. It usually goes through. I've actually had more trouble with the TGRC not wanting to ship to residential addresses.

It helps that at the moment I have a university email address. And I figure with the pandemic this is the best time to request as more researchers are stuck at home. But maybe that does not matter. Actually they may be more on guard now with everyone wanting to plant a garden. The heavy scientific explanation is your best friend in my opinion. Use lots of scientific vocabulary.

It might also help that what I request is usually wild relatives. Not things your average gardener would want. So that may add to my percieved credibility. For tomatoes specifically last time I requested Solanum galapagense and cheesmaniae and i got them.

[Andrew Barney]

Hmm,
It sounds to me like this is saying they made peruvianum that would cross readily with domestic. If some of the material you've requested is of that nature it would be easy to encorporate into breeding projects but not to work with peruvianum material that still has intact self incompatibility. I.E. might not be a good bridge. Not sure that matters much because the material should be interesting in its own right. However material with habrochaites or penellii self incompatibility it shouldn't complicate breeding with much because should work like any domestic with some introgression. So would be like working with galapagense, cheesemanii, and pimpinillifolium.

Yeah, hard to say. I figure it could go either way. But I figure its worth a shot.

From my impression of the different accessions I feel like some went the self-compatible route and some went the embryo rescue route. So it may actually be a mixed bag.

Still may prove interesting and useful either way.

[William S.]

I've been pinching my peruvianum back so it doesn't shade out the penellii I want to pollinate it. I'm hoping the pinchings will root.

[Andrew Barney]

worth a try. But i  have not had much success rooting the wild tomatoes. Must be a trait that was selected for with domestication. At least the species with the more woody stems. Younger stems probably have the best shot. That or cutting the bark away.

[Andrew Barney]

I modified joseph's great drawing to include the semi possible one direction between pennellii and peruvianum

[William S.]

I think the diagram should look more like this.

1. Penellii pollen goes to habrochaites not vice versa. I suspect this has implications for crosses as well.

2. The Arcanum I obtained from TGRC should set some seeds on domestic but not be a good bridge I have a second generation planted. That is ok, it looks useful in its own right.

3. The SC Peruvianum you (Andrew) obtained should set seeds on domestic. Probably won't act as a bridge, but that is useful in its own right.

4. We never had real Cornelio-muelleri and decided it was peruvianum.

5. The seed for Chilense I obtained from TGRC should be a decent bridge- if we could grow it to maturity (this year I didn't plant it, last year no plant made it to blooming). Though the lone putative Chilense I obtained and grew to maturity from Sacred Succulents did not accept pollen from Peruvianum or Arcanum.

[William S.]

Pinchings still alive, looking better. Checked and roots have formed.

[William S.]

The new peruvianum lines Andrew sent are starting to bloom. Interestingly first few flowers aborted. Have greenhouse door propped open in hopes of a bombus as cannot find new pollinator tool. Guess I am disorganized tgis summer. One piddley plant died so down to 6 accessions. Penellii cross attempt failed. Does look like fresh penellii seed will result. Growing another generation of Arcanum but no time to attempt crosses and plants not positioned well for natural crosses.

Purish penellii senescing without fruit due to bad soil I suspect.

[Andrew Barney]

Just realized there is an interesting Micurin technique to get S. peruvianum hybrids after grafting. Pollen mixtures maybe as well.

https://keen101.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/wide_hybridization_in_vegetable_breeding.pdf

[William S.]

Andrew I suspect fruits on two of the new accessions of peruvianum you sent are probably viable. Also the one plant and it's clones of the old peruvianum has probably got some fruit with viable seeds by now.

Oddly I moved two of the pots across the aisle of the greenhouse next to the peruvianum and penellii experiment and the others still across the way are the ones with zero fruits still. A couple of the accessions are rediculously tall. I may prune them brutally when and if I bring them in. My indoor growing area is full of squash I don't really have the time to process for seed.

[Andrew Barney]

Andrew I suspect fruits on two of the new accessions of peruvianum you sent are probably viable. Also the one plant and it's clones of the old peruvianum has probably got some fruit with viable seeds by now.

Oddly I moved two of the pots across the aisle of the greenhouse next to the peruvianum and penellii experiment and the others still across the way are the ones with zero fruits still. A couple of the accessions are rediculously tall. I may prune them brutally when and if I bring them in. My indoor growing area is full of squash I don't really have the time to process for seed.

interesting. If you prune them perhaps collect pollen (if any) from flowers with an electric toothbrush for manual pollination if in a greenhouse?

I need to check tomorrow but i think last night the tomatoes died from cold. Not sure if any wilds survived or died as well.

[William S.]

Might have to bring them in from the greenhouse tonight. Low of 29 with snow.