Ghost, Variegated and Fatality

[darthslater]

In my obsession to get this tomato {Which I have seeds from this one pictured} I have run into some stumbling blocks.
One of them is the gene that produces variegation is all over the plant.
Another is the fatal gene.
Yet another is that this is quite probably a mutation.



However, not being one to quit, I have obtained a number of different cultivars.
I mentioned I have seeds from the tomato pictured, it's normal state is Berkley Tie Dye.
Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms has been kind enough to give me about 20.
However, out of 130 seeds he planted all but thirty came up white and are dying.
White plants don't produce chlorophyll.
The ones showing some degree of variegation are not dead yet.
Solana seeds claims that they have a variegated tomato that show variegation in the unripened fruit, so, out came the check book.
I will show some of the pics of the Ghost gene. If anything else they would be a great plant to sell for a good amount.

[darthslater]

Here is the Ghost gene how that works is a mystery, I have some genetics in fish, this would be called partialy albanistic, however, plants don't work the same way.

[darthslater]

This picture shows the difference between the Ghost Gene and variegation.

[darthslater]

Here are fruits that contain the Ghost gene, notice the 3rd one on the left THIS is a WHITE tomato.
If it isn't like this, then it is a pale yellow or green.
I wonder what the parents of these plants looked like and what it took to grow them to maturity.





The mature fruit looks like a washed orange.
These are very striking plants.
I hope some day I can get a variegated fruit with less trouble.

[darthslater]

My virus program goes nuts when I try to download it.

[bammer]

Wow! Wicked lookin leaves

[darthslater]

Gee, I didn't think of that

[willyswoodpile]

Mar 2, 2011 19:51:51 GMT -5 @darthslater said:

This picture shows the difference between the Ghost Gene and variegation.

They look like lichens/Caribou Moss that reindeer/Caribou eat out on The Tundra.
It reminds me of those cool shows that I used to watch as a kid in the early 70's about their migration habits.

[hillbillypie]

What are the genetics involved with this?

www.burpee.com/vegetables/tomatoes/cherry/tomato-italian-ice-hybrid-prod000995.html?catId=3039&trail=

[darthslater]

Even more interesting Solana seeds claims that the varigation shows in the fruit.

[nolika]

I've had the variegation showing in the fruit (in very young stages) when I grew Variegated aka Splash of Cream. I just have to upload the photo to show it to you. But it wasn't as variegated as the Solana picture shows...

[nolika]

Here it is, I bought the seeds from Tomato Growers a few years ago.
This is the unripe fruit:



And this one is almost ripe, notice the slight green striping, but that disappears when the fruit is completely ripe:

[Tom Akers]

I will get a white sprout in some of my seeds once in a while. Is this the fatality gene showing up? The seedling will be completely white(no chlorophyll I'd guessed) and die before the first leaves form.

[jcm05]

This is taken from TGC Volume 6 from January, 1956

Brauer, O. and C. M. Rick
Description and Linkage Relations of Ghost (gh), an unstable chlorophyll deficiency

The name ghost and the symbol gh have been applied to a recessive mutant that appeared in a culture of determinate San Marzano type bred by Mr. G. C. Hanna. Ghost seedlings appeared in about 1/4 of the selfed progeny of a single normal plant of this line. Since nothing of the same phenotype has appeared in the parental lines or other derivatives we conclude that gh is the product of spontaneous mutation.

Ghost phenotypes germinate and emerge from the soil normally. Hypocotyls appear normal except for shorter trichomes. Cotyledons are always green, but have irregular blotches of Paler green color that usually permit identification of gh before true leaves appear. The amount of subsequently developed green tissue is variable: the first true leaf may be entirely green or entirely white, but usually has a basal green area of varying size; most of the second leaves are entirely deficient and a rapid trend toward absence of chlorophyll is associated with further growth.

Once deficiency is complete it remains so, except for occasional, sporadic, small areas of green tissue. Chlorophyll rarely persists to the level of inflorescences and appears infrequently as longitudinal streaks on the unripe fruits.

Most of the deficient areas are entirely white, but occasional plants attain a constant pale yellow color. Anthocyanin appears to be normal and is very conspicuous in the absence of chlorophyll.

Deficient leaves are greatly reduced in size and have more acute segments. Hairs appear to be abnormally numerous, but presumably only as a result of the concentration caused by reduced size of leaves and internodes.

The grafting of normal scions on gh stocks induces a greater development of green tissue in shoots emerging from the gh stock. The reason for this is not clear, but may be vested in the fact that these shoots emerged adventitiously from the hypocotyls.

Such grafted plants and rare ungrafted seedlings with unusually large amounts of chlorophyll can flower and set fruit. Flowers are subnormal in size; many fail to open. Pollen is variable, often highly aborted, but fruits with seed may develop after self-pollination.

Externally and internally these fruits exhibit a milky white color at all stages except at maturity, when the epidermis suddenly develops the normal yellow pigment, and a similar yellow color appears in the gelatinous material surrounding the seeds.

The green stripe seen on a few fruits turned at maturity to a red color, which dissection revealed to be present only in the
flesh.

The fruit pigments have been extensively analyzed by Dr. G. Mackinney, who has found that the skin pigment is the normal alkali-soluble flavonoid, and that colored carotenoids are absent or at very low levels and colorless carotenoids at unusually high levels in the ripe fruits.

Seeds obtained from selfing gh plants germinate and yield only gh seedlings. All Fl gh x + and reciprocal have + phenotype. Recovery of gh in segregating progenies is good, the F2 fit usually being close. All data indicate normal transmission of gh through pollen and ovules and no influence of cytoplasmic factors.

[izitmidnight]

Last summer, I had a couple plants where some of the leaves looked like that. I thought it was a fungus or disease. Sadly, I destroyed those plants. I'll not do that next time.