FLORIDA—University of Florida scientists invite home gardeners to participate in a citizen science program to help develop tastier tomatoes.
By growing select tomato varieties and sharing their results, participants are helping researchers at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) improve tomato flavor.
Denise Tieman, a research associate professor at UF/IFAS, leads the program, which has already gathered feedback from gardeners in 41 states. The program seeks to determine which tomato varieties thrive under different conditions and have the best taste.
“Getting data from so many different places and growing methods is incredibly helpful,” said Ms Tieman.
“People are growing tomatoes in pots, soil, hydroponics, and more, which allows us to evaluate their performance in diverse environments.”
Participants can obtain seeds for four UF/IFAS-developed tomato varieties: ‘Improved Garden Gem,’ ‘Improved Garden Treasure,’ ‘Improved Garden Ruby,’ and ‘Improved BW Hybrid.’ For a minimum donation of $15, home gardeners will receive seeds for all four varieties and contribute directly to the ongoing research.
Click here to find out how you can obtain tomato seeds from the UF/IFAS tomato-breeding lab.
“We change the varieties from year to year as we develop new cultivars, but we keep favorites like ‘Garden Gem,’” said Tieman.
“We also take special requests if someone wants an older variety that we’re not offering this year.”
For more than 20 years, UF/IFAS research has focused on improving tomato flavor. Using DNA analysis, researchers have found a quicker and more cost-effective way to identify the genes responsible for better taste.
This method helps streamline the breeding process, making it easier to create tomatoes with improved flavor.
“Our latest breeding efforts are focused on developing better-tasting commercial varieties,” Ms Tieman said.
“We’ve shown that we can breed for flavor without expensive taste panels or complex biochemical analysis. Instead, we use simple DNA tests to confirm that the essential genes for flavor are present.”
Jessica Chitwood-Brown, an assistant professor at UF/IFAS and part of the tomato-breeding team, works closely with Florida’s commercial tomato growers. At the Florida Tomato Conference on September 5, she shared the history of UF/IFAS’s tomato breeding program, which began over 100 years ago.
The program initially focused on developing disease-resistant varieties and has since expanded to meet both industry and consumer needs.
“By incorporating grower feedback into the breeding process, we’re developing tomato varieties that not only meet the demands of the Florida industry but also taste great for consumers,” Ms Chitwood-Brown said.
For more information on obtaining tomato seeds and participating in the program, visit the UF/IFAS website. A minimum donation of $15 will provide you with seeds for all four tomato varieties, contributing to research that benefits both gardeners and commercial growers.
