Plant Breeding Summary with Emphasis on Tomato
From the time Oscar Pearson obtained a Ph.D. in1928 until he permanently retired in 1993,
he made numerous important contributions to the methodology of plant breeding and developed
many commercially successful vegetable varieties. None of his accomplishments were more
important than those involving tomato breeding and the development of the “Pearson” tomato. While
on the University of California faculty from 1928 to 1933, Dr. Pearson bred, selected and essentially
completed the testing of the line that the University released in 1936 and named in his honor.
Following its release, Pearson quickly became the leading processing variety grown in
California and accounted for over 50% of the processing tomato production in the U.S., until it was
replaced by mechanically harvestable types beginning in 1964. Pearson, which was the first
determinate tomato variety grown on a large scale, possessed tolerance to Fusarium and
Verticillium wilts and was extremely fruitful in the interior valleys of California. Pearson was also
widely grown for fresh market use in the U.S. In addition, Pearson was grown extensively in Egypt
and other middle-eastern countries.
Following release of the original variety, public and private breeders selected, or developed
through backcrossing, numerous “Pearson types” that were also grown extensively throughout the
Western U.S. These included Pearson A1, Pearson B, Pearson S, Improved Pearson, Pearson VF
6, and Pearson VF 11. In addition to its use for commercial production, Pearson was widely used as
a parent for numerous other varieties (e.g. J. Moran, Early Pak, Early Pak No. 7, Grand Pak) that
became commercially important.
After leaving the University of California, Dr. Pearson worked as a plant breeder and
manager with the Eastern States Farmers Exchange (Agway), Seed Research Specialists
(subsequently FMC), and Cornell University. In these positions he continued to breed tomatoes, but
expanded his work to include numerous other species such as cabbage, broccoli, sweet corn,
lettuce and various cucurbits. A trademark of Dr. Pearson, throughout his long career, was his
willingness to share new breeding material with other (and often competing) vegetable breeders.
-Allan K. Stoner
USDA, Beltsville, MD
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