OSU Blue vs. P20

[jcm05]

Can one of you guys (Mule, Snick, Frogsleapfarm) post the correct information regarding the difference between the two. There appears to be much misinformation being thrown about on various sites. I'd like to have the accurate stuff here.

[tomato]

OSU Blue is a tomato that was obtained from a grad student at OSU by Byndeweedbeth and then beginning in October 2007 was distributed widely via various chat forums. It has less uniform shape and more variation in amount of anthocyanin produced from sun exposure. It also has heavier leaf cover which tends to reduce anthocyanin levels.

P20 is a specific selection that Jim Myers released under Material Transfer Agreement to be used in breeding programs. It is a selected line advanced a couple of generations beyond OSU Blue that has reduced foliage cover, compact indeterminate form, and varying but overall heavier production of anthocyanin. It is possible to select much darker fruited plants from the P20 line. The photo on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato at the bottom of the page is of a shiny jet black selection from P20. Offspring from that particular plant has been extensively used in crossing to develop larger fruited better flavored tomatoes that express high levels of anthocyanin.

Tomato

[PVP]

Jul 14, 2010 8:01:16 GMT -5 tomato said:

P20 is a specific selection that Jim Myers released under Material Transfer Agreement to be used in breeding programs. It is a selected line advanced a couple of generations beyond OSU Blue that has reduced foliage cover, compact indeterminate form ...

I obtained seed for "OSU-Blue" from ByndeweedBeth when I was a member of Dave's Garden and grew it in 2008.

The 2 plants I selected and grew to maturity were absolutely and without doubt 100% determinate, completely terminated at about 30 inches tall, with modestly sized, elongated globes no larger than Juane Flamme by comparison ... with the fruit at the end of the ladder trusses smaller.

I would describe the stems as ridgid, erect and the foliage as sparse. There were fewer than normal, for a determinate, vigorous or productive side shoots. The degree of anthocyanin expression was sufficient and covered all areas exposed to direct sunlight. The pedicles and sepals were speckled with anthocyanin freckles. The seed locules were large, dual cavities filled with seeds and watery gel. Fruit walls were thick and relatively hard until dead ripe, and then still a bit firm. The flavor was sweet and without any character.

I started a couple dozen of the orginal "OSU-Blue" seeds and probably a hundred of the saved seeds and never got a plant that expressed the purple shaded leaves as shown by Keith in his pictures of selected P20s. The foliage on mine was an unattractive, dull khaki green.

Yes, I shared "OSU-Blue" seeds I saved from the two plants I grew in 2008, with maybe 3 or 4 people before getting a call from Jim Myers asking me not to share seeds because they are unstable and do not express the specific characteristics he wants to capture and preserve in the variety before distributing to the general public.

Since then, I have not shared any more seeds but have casually followed the dispersion and results of the seeds I did share; and conclude that Jim Peters is correct. The tomatoes grown from those "OSU-Blue" seeds are giving results all over the board - indeterminate, determinate, globes, fasciated locules, smooth plums, large, small, faintly stained with anthocyanin, heavily stained, moderately stained, whatever. And I have yet to hear any reliable reports of anything tasting remarkable. To the contrary, most reports are negative on flavor.

I no longer grow or have any interest in growing "OSU-Blue" and will wait until Keith or Darrel stabilize something from their legitimate and authorized P20 work ... something worth growing to eat.

Bill

[frogsleapfarm]

My source is also OSU Blue, and my experience with the line was as PV describes above. I grew about a dozen plants, and antho fruit expession and plant type was pretty uniform. I used the best two plants as parents from which my F2 progeny are derived. These two were uniformly black when exposed to sunlight. I'm guilty of confounding OSU Blue vs P20, but did not mean to be misleading. Perhaps as the various breeding programs progress, the original source material becomes less relevant.

[darthslater]

I obtained seeds from both Michael Johnson and Alan Bishop, my plants exhibit the purple foilage and my fruit is very dark, Michaels are a small beefsteak, and show a very nice tomato so far, the tomatoes are in clusters and I am very happy to have these, the ones from alan are also very dark, I planted every seed I had though and culled anything not showing traces of antho, I will continue doing so, thus creating my own {P-20}.
I also have a very nice one from keith it is the H-34, I also followed his instruction on culling, I listen very well when I am given stuff from breeders and consider it a privilege to be trusted with their work. I also would like to thank Master Frogs for considering me for grow outs!!!!

Dean Slater