The Top Tomato Varieties for 2019
Tomato breeders share their best picks for this year.
-
-
1 of 23
Adventure RZ from Rijk Zwaan
Type: Intermediate tomato
Weight: 150 to 170 grams
Disease package: High resistance to tomato mosaic virus (ToMV, 0 to 2), leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva (Ff, A to E), Fusarium wilt (Fol, 0,1), Fusarium crown and root rot (For), Verticillium wilt caused by Verticilium albo-atrum (Va, 0), and Verticillium wilt caused by V. dahlia (Vd, 0). Intermediate resistance to powdery mildew caused by Oidium lycopersicum (On, ex Ol).
Other: Adventure RZ is a good producer with artificial light and is resistant to powdery mildew (Oidium). -
2 of 23
Amaretto from Hazera Seeds
Type: Indeterminate yellow mini plum
Market: Fresh market snack
Disease package: High resistance to Vd, Fol 1, ToMV, and bacterial spec caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst).
Days to maturity: 75 to 85
Regions: All
Other: Extra-high Brix; very intense yellow color with high yield and outstanding firmness. -
3 of 23
Artemis from PanAmerican Seed
Type: Cherry
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High disease resistance to root-zone and foliar disease.
Days to maturity: 50 to 55
Regions: All regions
Other: One bite of these super-sweet, rich, red cherry tomatoes will have you craving more. The unique, crisp, firm texture is great in a salad or for sauce. -
4 of 23
Black Cherry from Terra Organics
Type: Cherry
Market: Fresh
Days to maturity: 90 from transplant
Regions: All U.S.
Other: Indeterminate cherry with excellent flair and dark-purple color. -
5 of 23
Citrine from Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Type: Indeterminate orange cherry
Market: Fresh
Days to maturity: 55 to 60 from transplant
Regions: Widely adapted to northern temperate regions of North America
Other: Bred by Rob Johnston and Emily Rose Haga, ‘Citrine’ is organic, crack resistant, and has a unique flavor. It also has a firm texture and a bright orange color. Its launch is planned for fall 2019. -
6 of 23
Damsel from EarthWork Seeds and Harris Seeds
Type: Indeterminate Pink Slicer
Disease package: High resistance to Verticillium wilt (V, 1). Intermediate resistance to late blight and root knot nematode.
Days to maturity: 73
Regions: Well adapted
Other: This pink, slicing tomato combines traditional heirloom flavor with good yields of 12-ounce fruit. Indeterminate plants offer a strong resistance package, including intermediate resistance to late blight. ‘Damsel’ has performed well in both field and high tunnel production. Conventional and organic seed are available. -
7 of 23
Fire Fly F1 from Seeds by Design
Type: Cherry
Market: Fresh
Disease package: Fusarium, V, and nematode
Days to maturity: 80 from transplant
Other: Sweet, white cherry, indeterminate -
8 of 23
Grand Marshall from Sakata Seed America and Rupp Seeds
Weight: 9 to 10 ounces
Market: Fresh
Disease package: Alternaria stem canker, Fusarium (1,2), gray leaf spot (Ss), tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), V.
Days to maturity: 70
Other: ‘Grand Marshall’ is a vigorous, hot set variety with extra-large and large, firm fruit. Pruning is beneficial at a low to medium level. Strong plant and good field performance under bacterial pressure. -
9 of 23
Helix from PanAmerican Seed
Type: Cherry
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to root zone and foliar diseases, including late blight resistance.
Days to maturity: 50 to 55 from transplant
Regions: All regions
Other: Experience the taste of summer with a perfect balance of sweet and acid. With early ripening fruit and high yields, ‘Helix’ is perfect for fresh eating. -
10 of 23
Jamestown from Seminis
Weight: 225 to 275 grams
Disease package: High resistance to Alternaria stem canker (Aal), Fusarium wilt (Fol 1,2), gray leaf spot caused by Stemphylium botryosum f. sp. lycopersici (Sbl), gray leaf spot caused by S. lycopersici (Sl), gray leaf spot caused by S. solani (Ss), Verticillium wilt caused by Verticilium albo-atrum (Va, 1), and Verticillium wilt caused by V. dahlia (Vd, 1).
Days to Maturity: 80 to 85
Regions: Eastern U.S. and Canada
Other: ‘Jamestown’ is a main-season tomato with excellent heat set ability. It’s a robust plan with fruit displaying a deep-red flesh and gel color due to the crimson gene. It can be used in the vine ripe and mature green markets. It also has a good yield potential of highly marketable fruit over a longer growing cycle. -
11 of 23
Jolene from Bejo Seeds Inc., Seedway, and Clifton Seeds
Type: Determinate
Weight: Large
Disease package: High resistance to Fol (1,2), Fusarium crown and root rot (For), tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), and Va
Days to maturity: 72
Regions: Performs well in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia
Other: Early maturing, firm fruits with a clean blossom end and uniform, smooth shoulders; large to extra-large round fruits with deep-dark interior on a determinate plant; mature green or vine-ripe production. -
12 of 23
Kivu RZ from Rijk Zwaan
Type: Beefsteak
Weight: 280 grams
Disease package: High resistance to leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva (Ff, A to E), Fol (0,1), For, tomato mosaic virus (ToMV, 0 to 2), Va (0), and Vd (0). Intermediate resistance to powdery mildew caused by Oidium lycopersicum (On, ex Ol).
Other: ‘Kivu’ has a nice, round shape with a slight shoulder; low amount of falling fruits, very uniform with a high production. -
13 of 23
Laguna Red from Sakata Seed America and Clifton Seed Company
Type: Determinate salad
Size: Extra large
Disease package: High resistance to Aal, Fol (1, 2), For, ToMV (0,1), Va (1), and Vd (1). Intermediate resistance to Ss and TYLCV from the Isreal strain (TYLCV: Is*)
Days to maturity: Early
Other: ‘Laguna Red’ has a mid-concentrated set and high quality. Fruit are an attractive red, very firm, smooth-shouldered, and has great flavor. Variety is well-suited for cool-season production. -
14 of 23
Loretta from Bejo Seeds Inc. and Seedway (Exclusive)
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to Va, Fol (1,2), For, and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV).
Days to maturity: 74
Regions: Widely adapted for the East Coast or gas green production.
Other: Loretta is a continuous yielder with a strong determinate plant providing good protection from sun scald. Fruits have a smooth deep round shape, pinpoint blossom end, and reliably high pack out rate. It is a new high-flavor variety for fresh market or gas green production. -
15 of 23
Mountain Fresh Plus from HM.Clause and Harris Seeds
Type: Determinate Red Slicer
Disease package: High resistance to Fol (1,2), V (1), root knot nematode.
Days to maturity: 78
Regions: Well adapted
Other: A reliable producer of high-quality fruit, even in the presence of nematodes. Large determinate vines offer good cover and produce strong yields of extra-large fruit that are smooth and firm with clean shoulders and excellent uniform red color. -
16 of 23
Red Snapper from Sakata Seed America
Type: Salad/round outdoor
Weight: 8 to 12 ounces
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to Aal, Fol (1,2), Va (1), and Vd (1). Intermediate resistance to Ss, TSWV, and TYLCV: Is.
Days to Maturity: 70 to 75
Other: Good hot set potential; very good fruit size and yield potential; widely adapted across multiple regions and seasonal slots. -
17 of 23
Roadster from Sakata Seed America, Rupp Seeds, and Stokes Seeds
Type: Early bush
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to Aal, Fol (1 to 3), For, Va (1) and Vd (1). Intermediate resistance to Ss and TSWV.
Days to Maturity: 70
Regions: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest
Other: ‘Roadster’ has large-sized, deep-globe-shaped fruit, which are an attractive scarlet red, very firm, and smooth-shouldered. Medium-tall plants benefit from light pruning.SakataVegetables.com; RuppSeeds.com; StokeSeeds.com
-
18 of 23
Sakura from Enza Zaden
Type: Cherry
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to Ff (A to E), Fol (0,1), and ToMV (0 to 2). Intermediate resistance to three root knot nematodes: Meloidogyne arenaria (Ma), M. incognita (Mi), and M. javanica (Mj). Tolerance to Si [need to look into further]
Regions: U.S. and Canada
Other: Sakura is an all-around variety producing beautiful mid-sized round fruits of 0.5-0.8 ounces. The fruit are tolerant to cracking, with sepals well attached, and trusses of 20 fruits or more. It is adapted to unheated greenhouses, high tunnels, or the open field. This is a very tasty and productive variety. -
19 of 23
Stacy from Hazera Seeds Inc.
Type: Indeterminate mini plum
Market: Fresh market snack
Disease package: High resistance, Fol (1 to 3), root knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica (Mj), bacterial speck (Pst), ToMV, tomato torrado virus (ToTV), and Vd. Intermediate resistance to TYLCV.
Days to Maturity: 75
Regions: All production areas
Other: Outstanding yield potential; excellent Brix and flavor. -
20 of 23
STM2255 from Sakata Seed America
Type: Salad / round outdoor
Weight: 8 to 12 ounces
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to Aal, Fol (1,2), For, Va (1), and Vd (1). Intermediate resistance to Ss, TSWV, and TYLCV: Is
Days to maturity: 66 to 73
Other: Good flavor, fruit size, and yield potential; widely adapted across multiple regions and seasonal slots. -
21 of 23
Toronjina from Enza Zaden
Type: Cherry
Market: Fresh
Disease package: High resistance to Ff (A to E), Fol (0,1), and ToMV (0 to 2).
Regions: U.S. and Canada
Other: ‘Toronjina’ is an attractive cherry tomato with excellent taste and vibrant orange color. Adaptable to greenhouse and field production, this orange cherry is an excellent combination in a mix with red cherry tomatoes. -
22 of 23
Varsity from Syngenta
Type: Mature green
Color: Green
Disease package: High resistance to FCR, TYLCV, and TSWV [need to research further]
Regions: Southeastern U.S.
Other: Large to extra-large fruit for mature green market; uniform fruit size distribution; widely adaptable in the Florida and Georgia growing seasons; attractive fruits for retail customers; reduced losses to field disease; ease of use for good results in most planting slots. -
23 of 23
Yellow Jelly Bean F1 (AKA GVS 51146 F1) from Golden Valley Seed
Type: Grape tomato
Disease package: Fusarium wilt (1,2), tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), TYLCV, and V. Tolerance to Aal, Stemphylium (S) and nematode.
Days to maturity: Mid to early
Other: Very prolific with true yellow color and an extended harvest; Excellent sweet taste; crunchy and juicy. This is a good addition to our red grape assortment of the Red Jelly Bean series. Some pruning may be required.
View all
Adventure RZ from Rijk Zwaan
Amaretto from Hazera Seeds
Artemis from PanAmerican Seed
Black Cherry from Terra Organics
Citrine from Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Damsel from EarthWork Seeds and Harris Seeds
Fire Fly F1 from Seeds by Design
Grand Marshall from Sakata Seed America and Rupp Seeds
Helix from PanAmerican Seed
Jamestown from Seminis
Jolene from Bejo Seeds Inc., Seedway, and Clifton Seeds
Kivu RZ from Rijk Zwaan
Laguna Red from Sakata Seed America and Clifton Seed Company
Loretta from Bejo Seeds Inc. and Seedway (Exclusive)
Mountain Fresh Plus from HM.Clause and Harris Seeds
Red Snapper from Sakata Seed America
Roadster from Sakata Seed America, Rupp Seeds, and Stokes Seeds
Sakura from Enza Zaden
Stacy from Hazera Seeds Inc.
STM2255 from Sakata Seed America
Toronjina from Enza Zaden
Varsity from Syngenta
Yellow Jelly Bean F1 (AKA GVS 51146 F1) from Golden Valley Seed
Subscribe Today For
Carol Miller is Editor of American Vegetable Grower. See all author stories here.