Jointless Pedicels

[jcm05]

Regarding jointless pedicels, is there any correlation between them and fruit abscission? Does it happen less often? Also, other than the obvious benefits to commercial production, are there any benefits to the home gardener? It would seem that fruit drop would be less likely to occur.

[PVP]

Fruit comes clean off the cluster without residual stem spur to puncture fruit when tossed into collection container. Better market appearance. Better holding quality on kitchen counter.


pv

[nolika]

Sorry to ask such a stupid question, but what are jointless pedicels?
I could use an explanation or maybe even a photo to know what is discussed here

[PVP]

Here you go. Read this:
jhered.oxfordjournals.org/content/27/1/25.full.pdf

Here's a photo of a very typical jointless pedicel


[North Carolina EBR-7 Tomato,
www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/tomato/releases/seedlines.html ]

See, there's no "knuckle" in the long green stem
holding the tomato onto the vine.

Here's some reading for you regarding pros and cons:
www.fshs.org/Proceedings/Password%20Protected/1995%20Vol.%20108/181-184%20(SCOTT).pdf


pv

[nolika]

I get it now, thanks a bunch

[tomato]

If you would like to try out a jointless variety, Bellstar is widely available. Johnny's carries it as do several others.

DarJones

[nolika]

I'm not after them, I just wanted to know what they were ;D

[PVP]

Here's a few things I'd like to learn:

1) Are the jointless stem genes tied to the green stem/male sterility genes?

2) Do the jointless stem genes come from the same wild varieties as the green stem/male sterile genes?

3) Is there any material, specific breeding lines or common cultivars, where you can get the jointless stem genes without picking up the male sterility genes (if that in fact is an issue)?

And I think this last question may have been addressed in one of the papers linked above, but ...

4) Are there specific commonly available cultivars where you can obtain the jointless stem genes with a typical flattened and ruffled shoulder rather than a smooth, round shouldered globe or plum shapes?


pv

[PVP]

On a side note, why does Johnny's catalog show Bellstar (a jointless variety) in a photograph as picked tomatoes WITH the jointed pedicel attached?
www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7937-bellstar-og.aspx


pv