Tomato Cultivars

Tomato varieties developed at the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, an agricultural and natural resource research program of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), are licensed by the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc.  If your company is interested in licensing tomato varieties, please contact the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc.

Gulf Stream ('Fla. 8363')
Tomato Hybrid

‘Fla. 8363’ is a fresh market, heat-tolerant tomato hybrid to be marketed and sold under the brand name Gulf Stream. Gulf Stream was developed at the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES), an agricultural and natural resource research program of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), in the tomato breeding program under the direction of Dr. J.W. Scott. Gulf Stream is a fresh market, heat-tolerant tomato hybrid with resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Additionally, Gulf Stream is resistant to standard Fusarium wilt races 1 & 2, verticillium wilt, and gray leafspot.  Gulf Stream appears well adapted to the southeastern U.S. where TSWV has been problematic and it has done well in trials in Turkey and other Eastern European countries. Its ability to set fruit under high temperature conditions may also make it an attractive cultivar choice on the peninsula of Florida where TSWV has not been of economic importance.

For more information about this tomato hybrid, including a description and trial data, please click here.

Where can you obtain seed of Gulf Stream?

Commercial seed of Gulf Stream is not yet available.  FFSP is in the process of seeking a commercial licensee to market and produce this cultivar.

License Availability: FFSP is seeking a commercial licensee for exclusive license of the Gulf Stream ('Fla. 8363') tomato hybrid and is currently evaluating proposals from the ITN ending April 4, 2008.  Please click here for more information.

Micro-Gemma ('Fla. 7878')
Miniature Dwarf Tomato

Micro-Gemma is a gold-fruited, miniature dwarf with superior flavor to that of 'Micro Gold'.  Micro-Gemma can be grown in small pots, on window sills, or in small hanging baskets.  It provides a well-proportioned plant ideally suited to commercial growing, shipping, and marketing because of its small size and light weight.  Micro-Gemma has a jointed pedicel and fruit have uniform green (u) shoulders.  Fruit size is similar to that of the other miniature dwarf cultivars and smaller than that of 'Red Robin' and 'Yellow Canary'.  It is similar in maturity to 'Micro Tom' and 'Micro Gold'.  In experimental trials, Micro-Gemma was found to be higher in soluble solids and sucrose equivalents than 'Micro-Gold' and 'Yelow Canary'.

Micro-Gemma is resistant to fusarium wilt race 1 and gray leafspot.  Fruit are highly tolerant to major fruit disorders such as blossom end rot, cracking, and graywall.

For more information about this tomato cultivar, including a description and trial data, please contact FFSP.

Where can you obtain seed of Micro Gemma?

Commercial seed of Micro-Gemma is not yet available.  FFSP is seeking a commercial, exclusive licensee to market and produce this cultivar.

License Availability: FFSP is seeking a commercial licensee for exclusive license of the Micro Gemma ('Fla. 7878') miniature dwarf tomato cultivar.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, FFSP invites you to request an ITN.  Please contact FFSP for more information.

Micro-Tina ('Fla. 7876')
Miniature Dwarf Tomato

Micro-Tina is a red-fruited, miniature dwarf tomato cultivar of a type similar to 'Micro-Tom' but with sweeter flavor.  Micro-Tina can be grown in small pots, on window sills, or in small hanging baskets.  It provides a well-proportioned plant ideally suited to commercial growing, shipping, and marketing because of its small size and light weight.  In greenhouse experiments, Micro-Tina had a short, compact, dwarf habit similar to 'Micro-Tom'.  Observations over several seasons have indicated that Micro-Tina plants are slightly larger than 'Micro-Tom' plants, but are much smaller than other dwarf cultivars, such as 'Red Robin' or 'Yellow Canary', when grown without root-zone restriction.  When grown in small containers, however, Micro-Tina did not always differ statistically from that of 'Red Robin' or 'Yellow Canary'.  Pedicels are jointed and the fruit have uniform green (u gene) shoulders.  They ripen to an attractive red color with a glossy exterior.  Fruit are trilocular, resembling a miniature large fruit, as opposed to a cherry tomato fruit which is bilocular and has a larger locule : pericarp ratio.  Micro-Tina has fruit comparable in size to those of 'Micro-Tom' and smaller than those of 'Red Robin' and 'Yellow Canary'.  Fruit ripen earlier than for 'Micro-Tom' and other cultivars tested.  Fruit of Micro-Tina are less acid and sweeter than those of 'Micro-Tom'.

Micro-Tina is resistant to fusarium wilt race 1 and gray leafspot.  Fruit are highly tolerant to major fruit disorders such as blossom end rot, cracking, and graywall.


For more information about this tomato cultivar, including a description and trial data, please contact FFSP.

Where can you obtain seed of Micro Gemma?

Commercial seed of Micro-Tina is not yet available.  FFSP is seeking a commercial, exclusive licensee to market and produce this cultivar.

License Availability: FFSP is seeking a commercial licensee for exclusive license of the Micro Tina ('Fla. 7876') miniature dwarf tomato cultivar.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, FFSP invites you to request an ITN.  Please contact FFSP for more information.

Tasti-Lee™ ('Fla. 8153')
Tomato Hybrid

'Fla. 8153' is a fresh market tomato hybrid to be marketed and sold under the brand name Tasti-Lee™.  Tasti-Lee™ was developed at the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES), an agricultural and natural resource research program of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), in the tomato breeding program under the direction of Dr. J.W. Scott.  Tasti-Lee™ has high lycopene content and an attractive, deep red color. Flavor is superior to most commercially available tomato cultivars based on the results of seven experienced sensory panels, a consumer panel, and numerous samplings from field trials.  Environmental conditions have a large impact on tomato flavor and the strength of this hybrid is its ability to produce fruit with good flavor under a wide range of growing conditions. This feature, along with reliable yields of firm, marketable fruit, should allow for branding of vine ripe harvested fruit with consistent quality that will attract repeat purchasing in the supermarket. Tasti-Lee™ should also be popular in upscale restaurants.

For more information about this tomato hybrid, including a description, trial and panel data, and photos, please click here.  Additional information is also available on the Tasti-Lee™ website at http://tasti-lee.com/.

Where can you obtain seed of Tasti-Lee™ ?

Commercial seed of Tasti-Lee™ is not yet available.  FFSP is in the process of seeking a commercial licensee to market and produce this exceptional cultivar.

License Availability: FFSP is seeking a commercial licensee for exclusive license of the Tasti-Lee™ ('Fla. 8153') tomato hybrid and is currently evaluating proposals from the ITN ending April 4, 2008.  Please click here for more information.