A Chromosome Change

[mcsee]

I recently was offered tomato seed on a Facebook Garden Group and took up the offer, after all they were for a huge red fruited tomato. Having a smaller garden this year and attempting to grow lots of tomato varieties for seed, I sowed 4 seeds thinking I'd get at least one to germinate. I ended up with 4 seedlings and as they were the last to germinate, they aren't really big yet.

When checking on them today, I noticed one was very different to the rest (see photos) and started looking for a cause. It turns out to be a Chromosome has changed in the genes of the tomato, giving lanceolate leaves, which isn't too bad I suppose. What will be the biggest change, will occur with the fruit shape, so I won't get the huge red fruits that I was expecting, but probably a long fruit like a long plum.

The plant with the long first leaves are the one that's changed, the other is how it should look.

[Snoop Puss]

I'm intrigued: how did you identify that a chromosome had changed?

[mcsee]

The lanceolate leaf was the clue to a chromosome change, as this shape leaf is only common after such a change with Chromosome7. I guess if it was an ordinary regular leaf, then it wouldn't be picked up at all.

[veggiechicken]

What variety are they please?

[mcsee]

What variety are they please?

The funny thing is, they didn't have a variety name, just a big red fruited tomato that someone has grown for a while. If I'm correct with the changes to this plant, it will change the fruit shape too.

[rary]

Will be interesting to see what the fruits look like, do you know if it is a natural chromosome change or human induced change?

[bikermike]

it's growing upside down that does it - causes the chromosomes to rattle

Only kidding - be fascinated to see what changes to the fruit occur...

[Chestnut]

If you get heart shaped tomatoes, you should try to save seeds and continue the gene line. I’m sure you could sell them at a premium if you marketed them at folks cooking a special meal for their beloved ;-)

[Jay-ell]

If you get heart shaped tomatoes, you should try to save seeds and continue the gene line. I’m sure you could sell them at a premium if you marketed them at folks cooking a special meal for their beloved ;-)

I've had a few meals like that

First - tear heart to shreds then run through a blender just to make sure

But yeah, keep the seeds and who knows you might have a new tomato variety.

[Logunner]

New to this growing lark.... but it’s just a tomatoe surely?

[MarkPelican]

New to this growing lark.... but it’s just a tomatoe surely?

JUST a tomato. There ain't no such thing. . Yes there are JUST supermarket tomatoes but ones you've grown yourself they're something else, particularly when they do something unexpected.

[mcsee]

Well, disappointing news with the new seedling. After a week, the long linear/lanceolate leaves have now changed to Potato Leaves. So what was, isn't, but I'll get a new tomato variety out of it, as the regular leaf is now potato leaf and a possibility of fruit changes too.