The Rutgers 250 All-Star Variety for April is the Rutgers 250TM tomato! Developed by plant breeder Tom Orton, this new variety is a recreation of the coveted ‘Rutgers’ tomato, originally released by Lyman Schermerhorn in 1934. Members of the Rutgers tomato breeding program are proud of their newest accomplishment and released it as the Rutgers 250TM tomato to honor Rutgers’ 250th anniversary.
The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station works closely with tomato growers in developing new plants as part of its mission to boost local agriculture and share Rutgers research with the public. The project to recreate the ‘Rutgers’ tomato was made possible by a discovery eight years ago that Campbell’s Soup Co. had retained derivatives of the original Rutgers parent seeds.
Rutgers plant breeders continue to develop tomatoes best-suited for New Jersey’s ever-changing climate. Their efforts benefit both small-scale home gardeners and large-scale commercial farmers. See the Tomato Availability page to learn more about where to find Rutgers tomato seeds and plants.
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