Someone IS breeding better-tasting tomatoes!

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DonShirer Westbrook, CT(Zone 6a) Apr 13, 2016

In a recent post I mentioned that the Dwarf Tomato Project was an example that showed you
could breed tomatoes for better taste, and now I have found an even better one.

Harry Klee has been heading a project at the University of Florida to identify the biochemical
and other qualities that produce better tasting tomatoes, and to use this knowledge to breed
tomatoes that combine the best qualties of the better tasting heirlooms and the higher yield
hybrids. In an hour-long talk (plus a question period) sponsored by Carnegie Science with the
provocative title “Why Doesn’t My Supermarket Tomato Have Any Flavor and Why Should I Care?”
(see the links below) he explains why commercial varieties don’t taste good, how research can
identify what causes good taste (and surprisingly these often produce good nutrition as well) and
how they have already produced (by conventional breeding methods) some promising new
cultivars for home gardeners.

Both the talk and his website (where for a small donation you can get some sample seeds) are
worth exploring.

The talk:
http://library.fora.tv/2015/09/17/Why_Doesnt_My_Supermarket_Tomato_Have_Any_Flavor_and_Why_Should_I_Care

The website:
http://www.hos.ufl.edu/kleeweb/newcultivars.html

This message was edited Apr 13, 2016 4:51 AM

This message was edited Apr 13, 2016 4:51 AM

This message was edited Apr 13, 2016 4:52 AM

This message was edited Apr 13, 2016 5:00 AM

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momlady Camano Island, WA(Zone 8a) Apr 13, 2016

Very interesting; thanks for sharing. I just sent for some of those seeds! I am hoping to get the greenhouse up this summer, and if that happens, there will be tomatoes in it.

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