Disease Resistance - Varieties selected for use in Florida must have resistance to Fusarium wilt, race 1, race 2 and in some areas race 3; Verticillium wilt (race 1); gray leaf spot; and some tolerance to bacterial soft rot.  Available resistance to other diseases may be important in certain situations, such as Tomato Spotted Wilt and Bacterial Wilt resistance in northwest Florida.

Horticultural Quality - Plant habit, stem type and fruit size, shape, color, smoothness and resistance to defects should all be considered in variety selection.

Adaptability - Successful tomato varieties must perform well under the range of environmental conditions usually encountered in the district or on the individual farm.

Market Acceptability - The tomato produced must have characteristics acceptable to the packer, shipper, wholesaler, retailer and consumer.  Included among these qualities are pack out, fruit shape, ripening ability, firmness, and flavor.

Current Variety Situation

Many tomato varieties are grown commercially in Florida, but only a few represent most of the acreage.  In years past we have been able to give a breakdown of which varieties are used and predominantly where they were being used but this information is no longer available through the USDA Crop Reporting Service.

Tomato Variety Trial Results

Summary results listing the five highest yielding and the five largest fruited varieties from trials conducted at the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Bradenton; and North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy for the Spring 2003 season are shown in Table 1.  High total yields and large fruit size were produced by Fla. 8092, Solar Fire and FL 91 at Bradenton.  There was very little overlap between locations.  The same entries were not included at both locations.

Table 2 shows a summary of results listing the five highest yielding and five largest fruited entries from trials at the University of Florida’s Indian River Research and Education Center, Ft. Pierce and the North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy for the fall 2003 season.  High total yields and large fruit size were produced by Fla. 8092, Solar Fire, and FL 91 at Fort Pierce.  Solar Fire produced high yields at both locations and Fla. 8092 produced large fruit at both locations.  Not all entries were included at all locations.

Tomato Varieties for Commercial Production

Large Fruited Varieties

Amelia.  Vigorous determinate, main season, jointed hybrid.  Fruit are firm and aromatic suitable for green or vine ripe.  Good crack resistance.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1, 2 and 3), root-knot nematode , gray leaf spot and Tomato Spotted Wilt.  For Trial.  (Harris Moran).  

BHN 640.   Early-midseason maturity.  Fruit are globe shape but tend to slightly elongate, and green shouldered.  Not for fall planting.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1),  Fusarium wilt (race 1, 2 and 3), gray leaf spot, and Tomato Spotted Wilt.  For Trial. (BHN).

HA 3073.  A midseason, determinate, jointed hybrid.  Fruit are large, firm, slightly oblate and are uniformly green.  Resistant:  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1),  Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), gray leaf spot, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus and Tomato Mosaic Virus.  For Trial.  (Hazera)

Florida 47.  A late midseason, determinate, jointed hybrid.  Uniform green, globe-shaped fruit.  Resistant: Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), Verticillium wilt (race 1), Alternaria stem canker, and gray leaf spot.  (Seminis).

Florida 91.  Uniform green fruit borne on jointed pedicels.  Determinate plant.  Good fruit setting ability under high temperatures.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), Alternaria stem canker, and gray leaf spot.  (Seminis).

Sebring.  A late midseason determinate, jointed hybrid with a smooth, deep oblate, firm, thick walled fruit.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1, 2 and 3), Fusarium crown rot and gray leaf spot.   (Syngenta)

Solar Fire.  An early, determinate, jointed hybrid.  Has good fruit setting ability under high temperatures.  Fruit are large, flat-round, smooth, firm, light green shoulder and blossom scars are smooth.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1, 2 and 3) and gray leaf spot.   For Trial.   (University of Florida)

Solar Set.  An early, green-shouldered, jointed hybrid.  Determinate.  Fruit set under high temperatures (92^oF day/72^o night) is superior to most other commercial varieties.  Resistant: Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), Verticillium wilt (race 1), Alternaria stem canker,  and gray leaf spot.  (Seminis).

Solimar.  A midseason hybrid producing globe-shaped, green shouldered fruit.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), Alternaria stem canker, gray leaf spot.  (Seminis).

Tygress.   A midseason, jointed hybrid producing large, smooth firm fruit with good packouts.  Resistant:  Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), gray leaf spot, Tomato Mosaic Virus and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus.  For Trial.  (Seminis).

Plum Type Varieties

Marina.  Medium to large vine determinate hybrid.  Rectangular, blocky, fruit may be harvested mature green or red.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), Alternaria stem canker, root-knot nematodes, gray leaf spot, and bacterial speck.  (Sakata).

Plum Dandy.  Medium to large determinate plants.  Rectangular, blocky, defect-free  fruit for fresh-market production.  When grown in hot, wet conditions, it does not set fruit well and is susceptible to bacterial spot.  For winter and spring production in Florida.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt (race 1), early blight, and rain checking.  (Harris Moran).

Spectrum 882.  Blocky, uniform-green shoulder fruit are produced on medium-large determinate plants.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), root-knot nematode, bacterial speck (race 0), Alternaria stem canker, and gray leaf spot.  (Seminis).

Supra.  Determinate hybrid rectangular, blocky, shaped fruit with uniform green shoulder.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), root-knot nematodes, and bacterial speck.  (Syngenta).

Veronica.   Tall determinate hybrid.  Smooth plum type fruit are uniform ripening.  Good performance in all production seasons.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 2), Alternaria stem canker, nematodes, gray leaf spot and bacterial speck.   (Sakata).

Cherry Type Varieties

Mountain Belle.  Vigorous, determinate type plants.  Fruit are round to slightly ovate with uniform green shoulders borne on jointless pedicels.  Resistant: Fusarium wilt (race 2), Verticillium wilt (race 1).  For trial.  (Syngenta).

Cherry Grande.  Large, globe-shaped, cherry-type fruit are produced on medium-size determinate plants.  Resistant: Verticillium wilt (race 1), Fusarium wilt (race 1), Alternaria stem blight, and gray leaf spot.  (Seminis).

Grape Tomatoes

Grape tomatoes are elongated cherry type tomatoes with very sweet fruit and fruit length about twice that of the diameter. The fruit usually weigh about 1/3 to ½ oz.  The plant habit and fruit flavor are very similar to Sweet 100 and Sweet Million, two old indeterminate cherry varieties. These varieties had limited commercial use due to plant growth habit and severe fruit cracking. The original ‘grape’ tomato variety was Santa, a high quality indeterminate variety. Santa is a proprietary variety and has limited availability. St. Nick is another indeterminate variety that is available. There are also available several new indeterminate varieties available but information is limited.  Also on the market are several determinate varieties such as Sweet Olive and Jolly Elf, but flavor is not as good as the older indeterminates. There are also new yellow and pink varieties available. Most of the grape varieties are fairly resistant to fruit cracking.

Reference

This information was gathered from results of tomato variety trials conducted during 2003 at locations specified in each table. Tomato variety evaluations were conducted in 2003 by the following University of Florida faculty: D.N. Maynard, Gulf Coast Research & Education Center - Bradenton; S.M. Olson, North Florida Research & Education Center - Quincy, P.J. Stoffella, Indian River Research & Education Center - Fort Pierce.