SURVEY OF DESCRIPTORS AND/OR CHARACTERISTIC DATA ON LYCOPERSICON ACCESSIONS

What follows is an informal survey of TGC members to determine what characteristics germplasm users feel are important to record for accessions of L. esculentum or its wild relatives. The purpose of the survey is to help the tomato CAC in considering recommendations for the utilization of the limited resources available for germplasm evaluation. Since it is quite possible that the value of a descriptor is different when considering a current cultivar, versus landraces of L. esculentum or the wild species, the survey was designed to separate evaluations on different classes of materials. The first half of the survey is composed of descriptors currently in use. The second half of the survey concerns the traits which will be of concern for future work in tomato.

Please send the completed surveys to:

        Martha A. Mutschler
        303 Bradfield Hall
        Dept. of Plant Breeding and Biometry
        Cornell University
        Ithaca, NY  14853

A. Survey of descriptors: In the first two columns, the descriptor evaluated and the values used to evaluate the trait are listed. In the spaces are provided in the next three columns please evaluate this descriptor for use with cultivars, non-cultivar accessions of L. esculentum, or wild species of Lycopersicon, respectively. In each of the spaces place one of the numbers from 1 to 5 from the following list.

1. It is extremely important that data are collected for this descriptor.

2. It is important that data are collected for this descriptor.

3. It is moderately important that data are collected for this descriptor.

4. It is of little importance that data are collected for this descriptor.

5. It is not important that data are collected for this descriptor

                                               Accessions             
Descriptor             Values used      Cultivars  other  L.esc 
                                                           wild
1. Vine growth habit  Determinate
                      Semi-indeterminate
                      Indeterminate        ______ ______ ______

2. Vine habit         Prostrate
                      Intermediate
                      Erect                ______ ______ ______

3. Foliage cover      Open to Dense
                      on a 1 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

4. Plant Size         Small to Large 
                      on a 1 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

5. Pedicel            Jointed or jointless ______ ______ ______

6. Immature fruit     Green or 
    color             uniform shoulder     ______ ______ ______

7. Immature flesh     Green, yellow,
    color             red, or orange       ______ ______ ______

8. Mature fruit color Green, yellow,
                      red, or orange       ______ ______ ______
                
9.  Mature fruit      Light to dark
     color intensity  on a 1 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

10. Skin color        Yellow, clear        ______ ______ ______

11. Fruit shape       Oblate, flat round,
                      round, high round,
                      square round, square,
                      pyriform, or 
                      cylindrical          ______ ______ ______

12. Max. number of         
     locules          Number               ______ ______ ______

13. Fruit faciation   Smooth to severe 
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

14. Blossom end       Absent, small to large
     scar size        on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

15.  Blossom end scar inverted, smooth,
       condition      or protruded         ______ ______ ______

16.  Blossom end scar Closed, intermed.
       shape          or open              ______ ______ ______

17.  Blossom end rot  Absent to severe
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______
        
18.  Fruit diameter   cm              
                      (mean of 10 fruit)   ______ ______ ______


19.  Fruit length     cm              
                      (mean of 10 fruit)   ______ ______ ______

20.  Fruit weight     g               
                      (mean of 10 fruit)   ______ ______ ______
                

21.  Cracking,        Absent to severe        
      radial          on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

22.  Cracking,        Absent to severe
      concentric.     on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

23.  Firmness         Absent, soft to very firm
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

24.  Gel color        Green, yellow or red ______ ______ ______
    
22.  Puffiness        Absent to severe
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

25.  Maturity         Absent, very early to late
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

26.  Ripening         Absent, continuous
     concentration    to very concentrated    
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

27.  Blotch           Absent to severe
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

28.  Yield            Absent, low to high
                      on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

29.  Pollination      Self, sib, or 
      method          open pollinated      ______ ______ ______

30.  Max reaction     Slight to severe
      to alternaria   on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

31.  Max reaction     Slight to severe
      to TMV          on a 0 to 9 scale    ______ ______ ______

B. Current and future needs

1. Considering the 31 descriptors in section A above, if it were only possible to evaluate 15 of them, which ones should be used (indicate the answer by the numbers 1 to 31)

1a) for evaluation of cultivars







1b) for evaluation of other L. esculentum accessions







1c) for evaluation of wild species

2. Without considering the ease or cost of evaluation, list the traits you think are the ones most needed for future tomato improvement, and therefore the most important ones for evaluation either by the ARS or by collaborators. In your response you can mention traits included or not included in 1 to 31 of section A.

2a) for evaluation of cultivars







2b) for evaluation of other L. esculentum  accessions







2c) for evaluation of wild species








Please use the following space for any other comments about
germplasm evaluation.

































C.  Correspondent information

Check any of the following areas of interest included in 
your work

____ Grower                ____ Cultivar evaluation
____ Tomato Breeding       ____ Tomato Genetics 
____ Systematics/evolution ____ Plant Biology   
____ Tissue Culture        ____ Molecular biology