Heirloom tomatoes are less genetically diverse than standard varieties

A survey of accepted ‘heirloom’ herb varieties from Europe has revealed small familial diverseness contempt their tremendous assortment successful size, signifier and colour

Environment 29 November 2021

By Michael Le Page

Wooden container filled with caller vine ripened heirloom tomatoes

Shutterstock / Teri Virbickis

Yellow, streaked oregon purple, tremendous oregon tiny, round, plum oregon lobed – the colours, sizes and shapes of the herb varieties traditionally grown successful Europe alteration greatly. But it turns retired this diverseness is lone tegument deep. Apart from the fewer genes controlling these evident characteristics, these tomatoes are virtually identical genetically.

“It’s similar a godforsaken with immoderate oases of variety,” says Jose Blanca astatine Valencia Polytechnic University successful Spain. “The tomatoes that you find successful the supermarket nowadays, they person …