Blue Tomatoes, Or Antho Tomatoes, Are Exotic And Very Healthy. General Characteristics, Varieties, Photos

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

Today, more and more often in our beds you can find tomatoes of different colors. Now you will not surprise anyone with either yellow or green fruits. However, blue tomatoes are still really rare in our country. Partly due to the fact that they appeared quite recently. And, perhaps, also because an uncharacteristic color for culture unconsciously alarms. Anto-tomatoes - as in America they call varieties with an increased amount of anthocyanins, which have a blue or purple skin color. I'll tell you about the varieties of blue and purple tomatoes, and whether they are really more useful than traditional ones, in my article.

Content:

• What are anthocyanins?
• General characteristics of blue tomato varieties
• Blue tomato varieties
• Breeding or Genetic Engineering?

What are anthocyanins?

Anthocyanins began to interest scientists as early as the 17th century and are almost completely studied today. These are substances that give plant tissues purple, scarlet, red, pink, orange, dark blue and blue hues. Anthocyanins are biologically active molecules, and therefore are responsible not only for beauty, but also for the usefulness of colored tissues.

The benefits of anthocyanins are great, adding them to the diet:

• reduces the likelihood of developing certain types of cancer;
• activates metabolism;
• provides prevention of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system;
• strengthens the retina;
• pushes back diseases of old age, including senile dementia;
• reduces puffiness;
• has an antibacterial effect;
• improves the condition of connective tissues;
• reduces pressure;
• boosts immunity.

Generally speaking, anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that protect cells in the human body from degeneration and aging. However, they are not synthesized in the human body. To maintain health, it is necessary to consume 15 ml of the substance per day, and in a state of illness, twice as much.

The leaders in terms of the number of anthocyanins are berries and vegetables of black and dark purple color. Among them are tomatoes, especially blue and purple flowers.

General characteristics of blue tomato varieties

The very first varieties of blue-fruited tomatoes were developed in Bulgaria. But since they did not differ in special taste, the project was stopped. Later, American scientists got down to business. Their task was not just to breed an unusual branch of tomatoes, but more saturated with anthocyanins, since more and more is known about the benefits of the latter every year.

Today, there are not one or two varieties with blue and purple fruits, but many. And they all surprise. However, finding your own is not so easy. And all because, as in the question with ordinary tomatoes, everyone is looking for something special in their “own” tomatoes: someone is size, someone is taste, and someone is keeping quality. And there are plenty to choose from in this category.

Seeds of blue tomatoes can be bought not only from collectors, but also on the free sale. Many of them have already been tested by gardeners and have their own assessment. However, as with any other cultivated plant, there is an unshakable rule - the variety is revealed differently in different conditions. Therefore, if you want to find the best variety of blue tomatoes for you, you will have to resort to your own variety testing, and not just take our word for it.

But general guidelines are still worth considering. Firstly, the fruits of tomatoes become almost black only in a mature state, while the color is more intensely manifested from the side that is open to the sun. The reverse side remains deep red. If the plant has not received enough sun, the desired color may hardly appear. Conclusion - blue tomatoes must be planted in the most illuminated areas.

Second, all blue varieties are of medium and late ripening. Therefore, in regions with short summers, it is better to grow them only in greenhouses.

Thirdly, in the overwhelming majority of blue tomatoes, the fruits are not large, weighing up to 100 g.

Fourthly, being distinguished by an interesting color, this group does not have an interesting taste, therefore it is not recommended to plant them in large quantities. However, blue tomatoes have their own specific flavor, which can only be understood by tasting.

Blue tomato varieties

" Indigo Rose " (Indigo Rose) - tomato of late maturity. Determinant. It grows in a greenhouse up to 1.5 m, in open ground up to 1 m. Blue-black rounded tomatoes, weighing up to 70 g, for universal use. The pulp is pink-red. It tastes sweet. Resistant to late blight.

“Amethyst Jewel” or “ Amethyst Jewel” is a medium-ripening tomato. Indeterminate. It grows to about 1.2 m outdoors and 1.5 m in a greenhouse. Blue-pink fruits are in the form of a steak weighing up to 200 g. The pulp is pink, with sweetness.

"Blue Beauty" - medium-ripening antho-tomato. Indeterminate. It grows up to 1.5 m. Fruits are steak-shaped, weighing about 150 g, with sweetness. The pulp is red. Resistant to major diseases.

"Dancing with Smurfs", or "Dancing with Smurfs" (Dancing with Smurfs) - anto-tomato medium ripening. Indeterminate. It grows up to 1.8 m in a greenhouse, in the open field - up to 1.5 m. Fruits are round, small, weighing up to 30 g. The flesh is red, very sweet. Resistant to late blight.

"Blue Pear" is a medium-ripening tomato. Indeterminate. It grows up to 1.5 m in the open field and slightly higher in the greenhouse. Fruits are pear-shaped, weighing up to 150 g. Red pulp.

'P + 20 Beauty King' - medium-ripening tomato. Indeterminate. It grows up to 1.7 m. Fruits are slightly flattened, weighing up to 200 g. They have a golden-orange color with a pronounced purple "tan". On the cut - yellow.

"Black Grape F1" - medium ripening, indeterminate. It grows up to 1.8m. Fruits are round, weighing up to 70 g. On the cut - pink. It tastes like a sweet plum.

"Blue Stream", or " Blue Bayou" - medium ripening, indeterminate. It grows up to 1.7 m. Fruits are round, weighing up to 150 g. On the cut - pink-red. The stem and leaves are blue.

" Wooly Kate" yellow and red - medium late tomatoes. Determinant. Shrub about 0.7 m high. Fruits with pubescence, weighing about 80 g. Yellow or red on cut, according to the variety. The taste is tomato. Stems and leaves have a bluish tint.

A dark galaxy» (Dark Galaxy) - Middle-, indeterminate tomato-Anto. Grows up to 2 m. Fruits are round, with purple strokes and gray specks on a red background, weighing up to 150 g. Red on cut. Normal tomato flavor. Resistant to disease.

"Red Charcoal" - indeterminate tomato grows up to 1.5 m. Rounded fruits weighing up to 200 g. Red on cut. The taste is ordinary, tomato.

"Chernichensky cherry" - medium late, indeterminate tomato. It grows up to 1.5 m. Fruits weighing about 50 g are red-black on the cut.

"Blueberry" is a mid-season, indeterminate tomato. It grows about 1.5 m. Fruits weighing about 50 g are red on the cut. The pulp is sweet with a slight sourness. The leaves are purple in color. Resistant to disease.

Breeding or Genetic Engineering?

New varieties of tomatoes are most often obtained by crossing two varieties. This includes all varieties with blue skin, but red inside. Recently, however, more and more often you can hear about varieties - GMOs, which we are all so afraid of. In the blue line, he is still one - Del / Ros 1. Its fruits have an intense purple color both outside and in the section. However, the seeds of this tomato cannot be found on sale.

In the latter case, the increased content of anthocyanins was achieved by genetic engineering. Scientists have introduced into plants a genetic construct that contains regulatory genes for the biosynthesis of snapdragon anthocyanins Ros1 and Del under the control of the E8 promoter active in tomato fruits. The result is plants with a high anthocyanin content.

In addition to color, this decision also led to an increased keeping quality of fruits. This is explained by the fact that anthocyanins do not allow tomatoes to soften, but for one thing (thanks to the same quality) they resist the development of gray rot infection in their pulp.

Dear Readers! You may already be growing antho tomatoes. Share your experience and impressions in the comments to the article.