Brittle stem, an apparently new sub-lethal gene in tomato.<p>

Andrus, C.F.<p>
 
A most peculiar characteristic of the presumably mutant brittle stem gene is
that it expresses itself only under field conditions.  Plants grown to
maturity in the greenhouse are perfectly healthy and produce a good number of
fruit.  Sister plants transferred to the field before flowering produce no
fruit, all flowers abscise, plant growth stops suddenly at the first onset of
flowering and stems become brittle to the touch. The character is not
completely recessive because heterozygous plants are sometimes detectable in
the field.  We would like for other tomato breeders to grow this curious
sub-lethal stock and help determine the environmental limitations in the
expression of sterility.  The seed we are offering (2796-1-48-B) is a
homozygous inbred stock; observers can expect normal development indoors but
complete sterility in the field, unless environmental conditions arise which
are outside the present known limitations.  We would like to hear from anyone
who is already familiar with the developmental pattern involved.<p>
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