O.P. Seed Production in Tomato, Isolation

Crop Management
Seed Production of O.P. Tomato Lines

Isolation

Each tomato flower has both male and female parts. Male organs called stamens (shown in blue) produce pollen. The female organ, called the pistil, consists of a style and an ovary (shown in pink).

Nearly all tomato lines, including today's modern varieties, are self-pollinating. In other words, the pollen from each flower's stamens fertilize only the ovary of the same flower. Due to the structure of the flower and its mechanism of pollination, isolation of different lines is usually not necessary.

There are exceptions. Currant tomatoes (Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium) and potato-leaf types of L. esculentum generally have styles that protrude outside their flower. These lines are more attractive to insects and thus, more likely to be cross-pollinated. Check each line's styles at the first sign of flowering. Netting or caging to exclude pollinating insects is required if lines with protruding styles are used. Also, do not collect seeds of double fruits since double flowers are more prone to insect pollination.