4 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 393 



this leaf mold resistant tomato were greatly impressed by its peiformance. This 

 demonstration furnished convincing evidence that there could be no mistake in 

 the choice of this tcmato where a crop failure or loss from leaf mold was feared 

 or existed. Therefore, it was decided not to wait until the tomato was perfected 

 before distributing more seed samples. This plan made available commercial 

 plantings from which further selections for resistance and desirable commercial 

 types could be made both by the writer and by the growers. 



In the interval which has since elapsed, the tomato was made pure for 

 resistance to Cladosporium leaf mold, and was given the name Bay State (7). 

 The tomato has performed in a highly acceptable manner for many growers, and 

 approximately 25-30 percent of the greenhouse area producing tomatoes in the 

 fall cropping season of 1941 in eastern Massachusetts was planted to Bay State. 



A loss of two-thirds of the yield of leaf mold susceptible varieties in the fall 

 cropp'ng season is not uncommon. A loss of 17 percent of the yield associated 

 with 45 percent of infected foliage has been recorded for the spring cropping season 

 (8). A comparison of the yields of resistant Bay State and susceptible Kondine, 

 both artificially inoculated with a spcre suspension of Cladosporium when 2 feet 

 tall, revealed an incieose of 54 percent in favor of Bay State. ^ One Bedford 

 (Massachusetts) grower who had been harvesting 10 to 12 tons of tomatoes of a 

 susceptible variety under devastating attacks of leaf mold in the fall cropping 

 season, reported increases of 2 tons and 6 tons for the fall cropping seasons of 

 1940 and 1941, respectively, with Bay State. A Concord grower, with a smaller 

 growing area, reported increases of IJ^ tons and 23^ tons for the fall cropping 

 seasons cf 1940 and 1941, respectively, as the result of substituting the Bay State 

 tomato. 



Without destructive occurrences of leaf mold, which is possible particularly in 

 the spring cropping season, Waltham Forcing is definitely superior to Bay State 

 in yield, and under such conditions no encouragement has been given to the 

 culture of the Bay State variety. Where destructive occurrences of the disease 

 have been experienced, or are feared, many growers have chosen and accepted 

 Bay State. The variety is still subject to improvement in the direction of a con- 

 sistently high yield and more uniformity in plant growth, but these are faults 

 which can be corrected by further selecting. Growers who are planting the Bay 

 State tomato are encouraged to make selections for further growing in their own 

 greenhouses from the most promising and desirable types. Such selections are 

 likely to show better adaptability to local conditions than those from outside 

 sources grown under different and variable conditions. 



DESCRIPTION OF BAY STATE TOMATO 



This tomato has been grown only in greenhouses to a single or double stem 

 trained to string or cane supports. The botanical characters ofTered here apply 

 to the variety under that system of culture only. 



The Plant 



Stem usually 4 feet long when first trusses mature. Growth period (from medi- 

 um sized plants that have not reached blossoming stage to first harvest in green- 

 house) 60-70 days. Habit rather rank, with both leaves and fruiting trusses 

 long and coarse. 



^By correspondence, Plant Disease Division, Dept. Scientific and Industrial Research, Auck- 

 land, New Zealand, February 28, 1941. 



