ABSTRACT
The genetic background of a host genotype can result in seed abnormalities. For example, in flax, seed coat splitting in yellow-seeded cultivars is common. 1 Eggplant, pepper, and tomato seed breaks commonly occur in the seed coat, resulting in a chamber between the seed coat and endosperm, which provides an entry point for pathogens.2•3 Defective fertilization in barley and wheat can result in production of embryoless seeds.4•5 The fruit pox and gold fleck diseases of tomato are inherited and are transmitted through seeds for four generations. Fruit pox appears as incipient lesions on immature fruits, which later rupture and become necrotic before the fruits turn red. Gold fleck appears as small lesions on immature fruit, which turn golden yellow on ripe fruit. Fruit pox is controlled by a recessive gene and gold fleck by a dominant one. It is possible to eliminate fruit pox and gold fleck within two generations by roguing affected plants in segregating populations. The cv. Florida MH-1, free from fruit pox and gold fleck, was released using this approach. 6
Stevenson et aJ.7 reported a seed-transmitted genetic disease in cv. Chico III tomato known as corky stunt, which is expressed as shortened internodes, proliferated axillary buds, malformed petioles, roughened lower petiole surface, and malformed and corked fruit. Corky lesions blemish the fruit surface. The optimum temperature for symptom expression is 2rc. The disease is controlled by a single recessive gene.
