Color in Tomatoes Eny Segregate Differently
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time, they must have different genetic constitutions, because their selfed prog- Color in Tomatoes eny segregate differently. The second in- dication is that the parental types are re- covered in the second generation. Finally, inheritance of pigment differences in the third cross-yellow crossed with tangerine-the first generation is red, al- studied for true-color breeding though neither of the parents is red. Furthemore, red tomatoes also appear in the selfed progeny of the red first genera- J. A. Jenkins and G. Mackinney tion hybrid. This breeding behavior is explained by It is of practical importance to the The yellow tomatoes have low total assuming that the two mutant types-yel- tomato grower and processor that the to- content of carotenoid pigments which are low and tangerine-differ from the red mato or its product shall have a typical, predominantly yellow in color. In some varieties by two different and independent readily identifiable color associated with yellow tomatoes, small quantities of lyco- gene mutations-genes are those factors an accustomed standard for tomatoes. pene may be formed, which are found in which determine the heritability of char- The original tomato may have such a irregular pinkish patches of color through- acters, such as color. characteristic color, but the processed out the flesh. Each of the pure-breeding parental product may not. This is particularly true Most commercial tomatoes contain an varieties may be symbolized-with the in products containing a percentage of alkali-soluble yellow skin pigment which capital letter R representing a dominant oily or fatty nontomato ingredients, is noncarotenoid in nature. red gene, the small r representing a sub- where owing to extraction of a high pro- The flesh of fruits with yellow skins in ordinant or recessive red gene, T repre- portion of tomato pigments, the color of contrast to those with colorless skins do senting the dominant tangerine gene and the tomato fraction appears untypically not receive the same radiation even t representing the recessive tangerine orange. though exposed side by side to the same gene-as follows: red RRTT, yellow rrTT, A study of the inheritance of pigment sunlight. The presence or absence of skin tangerine RRtt. differences in the tomato has been ini- pigment can only be evaluated in pheno- tiated. types-visible characters-whose genetic Color Types Appearing In First Genera- Some of the wild species of tomato- constitutions are identical except for this tion Hybrids and Their Progeny native to Peru-have fruits which are one factor, a di5cult comparison to make. virtually devoid of carotenoid pigments. Three crosses are possible between the Cross genevotionFirst genorationSecond The green chlorophyll-containing fruit three colored types; red crossed with yel- F, r, assumes an off-white color as it ripens. low; red crossed with tangerine; and, Rod crossed It is possible that the ancestral form of yellow crossed with tangerine. with yollow Red Red,yellow Red crossed the cultivated tomato was similarly de- These were made, and a study of the wlth tangorine Red Red, tangorine void of pigment, in which case the com- first generation hybrids together with Yollow crossed Red, yollow mon red-fruited type must have appeared their selfed progeny indicates-in the first with tangerine Red and tangorino as a mutant from the unpigmented an- place-that the first generation hybrids cestor. Whether or not it is true that the are red regardless of the color of the par- The above table may be amplified to red-fruited tomato was derived from an ents. These reds all look alike and have show the genetic constitution of the dif- unpigmented ancestor, it is known that the same pigment content. At the same ferent types together with their expected the red-fruited form has produced two frequencies of occurrence. mutants, the yellow and the tangerine. Color Types Appearing in the First and It is clear from the table in column two These have been known for so long that Second Generation Hybrids of Three that the first generation hybrid of the place and time of origin are uncertain. Tomato Crosses cross of red with yellow received a gene R The three color types in the cultivated Parents Second generation F. from the red parent and a gene r from and tomato-the red, the yellow and the tan- first Genotype Phenotype the yellow parent. The fact that the first gerine-contain complex mixtures of fjeneration Expected (genetlc (visible generation-F1-hybrid has the genetic ybrlds F. frequency constitution) charnctsrd carotenoid pigments, and the formation constitution Rr with respect to these two of specific pigments in the three cases is red (RRTT) x genes, together with the fact that it is red responsible for the respective character- and differs in no observable way from the istic colors. red-colored parent RR indicate that one of The carotenoids are insoluble in water, the R genes is sufficient for the formation but dissolve readily in fat solvents. They of the red-colored fruits. range in color from deep red to pale yel- The R gene is said to be dominant over low, and they derive their name from the r, or in other words, two doses of the r characteristic pigments of the carrot, gene must be present before the yellow among which is carotene, the most im- color is expressed. The random recom- portant natural source, directly or in- tangerine (RRtt) ' 1 bination of the gene pair Rr in the forma- directly, of vitamin A. 2 tion of the second generation gives two The red-fruited tomatoes contain sev- 2 RRTt genetic types of reds: one RR, which eral carotenoid pigments, but by far the 4 RrTt J breeds true like the parent, and the other most abundant is lycopene, which gives Rr, which like the F1 will again segregate F, red (RrTt)-. 1 the tomato its characteristic red color and rrTT} -yellow in the ratio of three reds to one yellow in takes its name from the scientific name 2 rrTt the next generation. All tomatoes in this for the tomato, Lycopersicon. 1 RRtt )-tangerine first cross carried both dominant T genes. The tangerine tomato derives its color 2 Rrtt The same general comment applies from a closely related orange carotenoid .1 rrtt with respect to the other two hybrids. In pigment, prolycopene. Continued on next page CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, FEBRUARY, 1951 13 TOMATOES 1:1,000. If necessary, the treatments may on the pseudobulb which turns at first a delicate yellow changing into orange red 'Continued from preceding page be repeated within a week or so. or red. The leaves finally drop off and the second hybrid-red crossed with tan- numerous orange red pseudobulbs can be gerine-only the Tt pair segregates, while Soft Rot seen in the pot. From the pseudobulb the all plants have both RR genes. Thus, the Soft rot of Cattleya orchids caused by organism migrates into the rhizome and T gene is dominant over the t gene. In the Erwinia carotovora is a rare disease. Its will travel from plant to plant. case of the third hybrid-yellow crossed advent is sudden and the results are devas- The disease is very infectious and re- with tangerine-both of the gene pairs tating. It is caused by the common soft quires immediate attention as soon as it segregate. rot bacterium-a soil inhabitant-which is first recognized. The control consists From a study of the three hybrids and attacks such crops as celery, carrots, and in applying 8-quinolinol or Natriphene their progeny, it is clear that at least potatoes. as for brown spot in Phalaenopsis. Sani- one R and one T is necessary for the for- The disease can start in fresh wounds tary measures must be observed and op- mation of the red carotenoid pigment, on Cattleya leaves and with high tempera- erators should disinfect their hands after lycopene. The precise role of these two ture and very high humidity it will handling infected Miltonias so as not to gene pairs in the formation of carotenoid rapidly change the leaf into a sack con- spread the disease. pigments is not entirely clear. There are taining liquefied tissues. The leaf wrinkles two uncertainties that will require further and droops. Later it breaks open and the Black Spot study. First, the double recessive rrtt has contents leak out. not yet been identified. Second, certain Plants affected by it can not be saved. The shippers of orchid blossoms also yellow tomatoes collected in Mexico are Control consists in early recognition of have troubles. Vanda blossoms shipped definitely anomalous. When collected, the disease and burning all the affected from a distance sometimes develop a they were classified as doubtful yellows. plants. The room in which the trouble oc- black spot right in the throat of the blos- When grown in Berkeley, they did not curred should be promptly and thoroughly sdm. Sometimes minute black spots scat- behave as pure yellow varieties, but were disinfected. tered on the petals of the flower ruin its consistently intermediate between red market value. The trouble is due to Gb- and yellow. merella sp., a fungus similar in its habits Independent studies carried on at Brown Rot to the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea Riverside suggest that three gene pairs Cypripediums are the only orchids in which sometimes attacks the flowers of determining pigment differences segre- California subject to the brown rot dis- Cattleya in greenhouses and in transit. gating in the species cross-Lycopersicon ease in orchid houses. It is caused by a Black spot infection of Vanda flowers esculentum crossed with L.