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He that would have fruit must climb the tree. - Thomas Fuller Seeds of Diversity thanks the George Cedric Metcalf Foundation and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their support. Design by Allison Prindiville | CANADIAN TOMATO CULTIVARS compiled by Jim Ternier
Summer 2006 It is time to update the list of Canadian tomato cultivars. I have corrected some errors and am including information about a lot more cultivars, especially about the tomato breeding program in BC. There will likely still be errors and omissions so I am inviting you to send me any information you have.
NOVA SCOTIA Agriculture Canada in Kentville – Kenearly, Scotia, Cabot, Fundy All introduced in the 1950’s
E. Chipman of the Kentville Research Station sent all these samples to the gene bank in Saskatoon (PGRC) plus Kenmor, Ken, and Kenest, samples that were perhaps never released as named cultivars.
QUEBEC Station Provinciale de Recherches Agricoles, St.-Hyacinthe Roger Doucet was in charge of a breeding program to develop tomatoes that tolerated cool nights in spring. As the people of Québec were partial to pink (“rose”) tomatoes he also released several early pink cultivars.
1967 – Canabec (Rouge) 1974 – Précocibec, Maskabec, Itabec, Usabec, Yorkbec 1975 – Canabec Super, Rosabec 1976 – Canabec Rose, Superbec, Ultrabec, Petitebec
Then Doucet’s focus shifted to breeding firm (paste) tomatoes that could be harvested mechanically and used for processing. I only have information on 3 cultivars introduced – Québec 1121 in 1978, Québec 200 in 1987, and Québec 2473 (year?), but I assume more have been introduced since then.
In the 1950’s and ‘60’s J.O. Vandal was breeding tomatoes at St. Hyacinthe. Apparently he introduced all numbered cultivars. I have found the following listed: Québec, Québec #5, Québec #13, Québec #59, Québec # 245, Québec #309, Québec #314, Québec #3276.
I have found mention of Grosse Cerise (Large Cherry) which is also designated as Q1008 but I don’t know if it is from Vandal or Doucet.
MacDonald Agricultural College of McGill University, Montreal MacPink (1973), an early pink cultivar, was introduced just before Rosabec and Canabec Rose, Doucet’s cultivars, targeting a similar market.
The gene banks also list Mac53Pink, MacDonald Red #1, and MacDonald Pink #1.
ONTARIO Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa The only longstanding federal tomato breeding program which began in the early 1900’s and lasted at least until 1970. Alacrity (early 1900’s), Herald (1926), Carlton (1952), Ferguson (1956), Ottawa (1963), Ottawa 6 (1963), Ottawa 16, Rideau (Ottawa 28) (1962), Rideau VR Ottawa 30, Ottawa 39 (1962), Ottawa 44, Ottawa 78, Mini Rose (Ottawa 85) (1970’s) and many other Ottawa numbered lines.
Agriculture Canada Smithfield Experimental Farm, Trenton Jack Metcalf was in charge of the tomato breeding: Trent (1967), Trimson (1972), Moira (1972), Quinte (1975), Earlirouge (1977), Earlibright (1980), Bellestar (Bellstar) (1981), Smithbright (1993)
ST-11B is a Smithfield breeding line which must be very similar to Moira, which was trialled as ST-11.
Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph I found the following at the historic seed catalogue listing on the SoDC website: “Steele Briggs 1929 Catalogue lists Canadian – a Bonny Best x Earliana cross introduced by the Ontario Agricultural College.”
Farthest North was developed at U of Guelph in the late 1940’s as a cool weather variety. Another source says Farthest North was bred in North Dakota and released in 1947.
Coldset (1961) sets fruit in conditions of extreme heat and cold. It is being grown in both the Peace River district (northern Alberta) and Texas.
Kanatto is a selection from a wild Filipino tomato with intense crimson colour (high crimson gene) which was made by Professor T. Graham of OAC, Guelph. It is a late, large, indeterminate cultivar.
Using the high crimson gene, Professor Graham developed High Crimson (1963) and, just before he retired, Crimson Sprinter, the earliest cultivar with this intense colour. This genetic material was also used by J.G. Metcalf to introduce intense red colour into his tomato breeding program at Smithfield.
I have found many variants of the Guelph tomatoes in gene bank collections: Coldset, Cold Set, Coldset Outdoor Se, Modern Coldset. High Crimson, High Crimson HC-1, Crimson-4, Early High Crimson, Modern High Crimson. Some of these are surely duplicates but others will be selections from the original cultivar and they would have to be grown and compared with care to determine how many distinct strains there are.
Agriculture Canada Research Station, Harrow Harrow (1955), Harbon (1966) Again, there are variants of which I have found Harrow 193, Harrow Access 243, and H-577. This year I am growing Early Rutgers –HES (Harrow Experimental Station) Strain, a Canadian selection of an older American cultivar.
Ontario Agricultural Experimental Station, Vineland Harkness (1937), Early Harkness. Then a whole series was released in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Vinered, Viceroy, Venture, Viscount, Vivid, Vogue, Pink Vogue, Vision, Veebrite (Veebright), Veecrop. Vineland also bred greenhouse tomatoes and in the course of about 20 years (1940’s to 1960’s) released the following cultivars: Vetomold, Vulcan, Vagabond, Vinequeen, Vantage, Veegan (F1), Vendor, Vineland Bright and some Vineland numbered strains.
Ontario Agricultural Experimental Station, Simcoe This tomato breeding program released many canning and processing varieties in the 1970’s and 80’s: Veemore, Veeroma, Basketvee, Veepro, Crimsonvee, Bonnyvee, Harvestvee, Rubyvee, Veeking, Wondervee, Veeset, Veepick.
Dr. Ernie Kerr worked as a tomato breeder at both the Vineland and Simcoe stations. then he went on to work for Stokes Seeds where he probably also did tomato breeding.
Dr. Kerr also had a large tomato collection from all over the world. The following were probably bred in Ontario but I don’t know anything about their origin: Cobourg, New Toronto 58-1, Leamington No. 1, Ontario Pink 774, Ontario Red 775.
I was not accurate when I said there was no more public tomato breeding in Canada. I received an email from Steven Loewen who is a professor at Ridgetown College which is part of the University of Guelph. He wrote, “My project focuses on developing breeding lines for processing that are used and developed further by several Ontario-based companies.” We won’t be seeing any of his cultivars in our gardens but we may have some of them on our plates.
MANITOBA Agriculture Canada Research Station, Morden The most important tomato breeding site in the prairie provinces. Many of these were the standard varieties grown in Saskatchewan in the 1950’s through to the 1970’s:
Morden (1945) – orange-yellow fruit, Morden Yellow (1950), Meteor (1952) Monarch Hy (1953) – F1 Bounty x Early Chatham cross Mustang Hy (1952) – F1 Bounty x Redskin cross Morden BB3 (1955), Manitoba (1956), Bush Beefsteak (1953), Starfire (1963), Charlie’s Red Staker (Dr. Charles Walkof, Morden, early 1980’s)
Portage La Prairie – Pembina (1973)
University of Manitoba Prairie Pride, Keystone, Manette, and Ping Pong all introduced in 1978
SASKATCHEWAN Agriculture Canda Research Station, Swift Current – Swift (1965) Melfort Research Station – Melfort (1973)
ALBERTA Beaverlodge Research Station Dr. Harris was in charge of the tomato program but John Wallace did most of the crossing and selecting. Six small-fruited, short-season cultivars were released. Professor T. Graham of Guelph, using Beaverlodge material introduced Sub-Arctic Delight in the early 1970’s. Shortly thereafter Dr. Harris released Sub-Arctic Early, Sub-Arctic Midi, Sub-Arctic Plenty. Then in 1976 he released Sub-Arctic Maxi and Sub-Arctic Cherry. There also exist quite a few Beaverlodge numbered lines.
Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm, Lethbridge Earlinorth (1952), Early Lethbridge (1953), Earlicrop
Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm, Lacombe Introduced a couple of early, small-fruited varieties – Rocket (Centennial Rocket) (1967) and Booster (1973)
Provincial Horticultural Station, Brooks Johnny Jumpup – a compact cherry tomato Brookpact and Brookpack (1970’s) – compact low-growing cultivars adapted to the winds of the southern prairies. In the literature from Brooks each cultivar has a separate description, even though they are similar.
University of Alberta, Edmonton Early Alberta (early 1960’s)
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Agriculture Canada Research Station, Summerland L.G. Denby led a tomato breeding program in Summerland from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. He worked to develop cultivars suitable for commercial tomato production in the interior of BC. Working with G. E. Woolliams, a plant pathologist, he bred verticillium wilt resistant (VR) and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) resistant cultivars or incorporated VR into established cultivars.
Summerland Stokesdale and Summerland Gem (late 1950’s) appear to be selections from existing cultivars. Summerdawn (1962) is from a cross in 1952 between Bounty x Loran Blood. Sumoka (1969) and Sutomi (1970) are both TMV resistant, indeterminate cultivars suitable for greenhouse growing. Summerjet and Starshot (misnamed Smoothie), both named in 1970, are from Vinered x Summerdawn.
The abstract from a paper by Denby and Woolliams in the Can. J. of Plant Sci, Oct. 1962, states “The gene Ve, for resistance to Verticillium wilt, has been incorporated into 45 established varieties at Summerland BC, using Loran Blood as the initial source of resistance.” The letters VR in the cultivar name indicate the resistant strain. The 45 cultivars are the following:
Of these, only Harkness, Early Lethbridge, Meteor, Sugawara, and Summerland Gem are Canadian bred.
CANADIAN TOMATOES FROM OTHER SOURCES
Québec
Savignac (also called Dufresne) from Fr. Armand Savignact CSV (1898-1994) who got the seed from Raymond Dufresne of Joliette in the 1930’s. Oscar Gonthiers from O. Gonthier of Drummondville. Sylvan Gaume apparently from Russia but named after a Canadian. Plourde from Aurelius Plourde of St. Alexandre de Kamouraska whose family has grown it since 1925. Mémé Beauce from a lady who grew it in the Beauce area of Québec for many years. Fruits to 2 lbs. Frontenac, an indeterminate Québec cultivar I received from a Belgian collector. Montreal Tasty, Montréal 61, Beauté Blanche Du Canada, Blanche du Québec, Forme de Coeur.
Rest of Canada
Ken Allan, Kingston, ON Rideau Sweet – an open-pollinated selection from Sweet 100 Hy Brandysweet – a cherry tomato selection from Brandywine x Sweet 100 Hy
Alaska – a selection from Farthest North, with larger plant and fruit, made by Edward Lowden of Ancaster, ON. Grightmire’s Pride – a tomato from Yugoslavia via Fred Grightmire of Dundas, ON
Provenzano – Italian heirloom being grown in Columbia Valley, BC Ross Red Salad – grown in Toronto for 50 years Sasha’s Altai – Russia to Canada many years ago Sophie’s Choice – heirloom from Edmonton, originally from Russia Tomato Tree – in Saskatchewan since the 1930’s, brought from …? Mennonite Heirloom – large, orange tomato brought by Old Order Mennonites from Pennsylvania to southern Ontario in 1910 Gramma Climenhaga is an indeterminate mid-season orange beefsteak from T. McIntee's family. Tested by Stokes Seeds and now widely grown by staff and friends in southern Ontario. Heritage Harvest Seed has collected several old tomatoes in Manitoba. 1908 McKenzie Seed Catalogue, Brandon MB, lists Canada – a large yielding variety with solid fruits. Fellner – from Fred Fellner, an Alberta farmer and lily breeder, is a tomato I have in my own collection. Kimberly is a selection made in the early 1950’s by John de Roque of Kimberly BC from Siberia x Tiny Tim.
Does anyone have information on these tomatoes from the gene bank collections: Canda Northstar, Labrador Improved, Northern Bush, Yellow Farnorth?
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