Yusupov Tomato

95 days, indeterminate — The regular leaf plants of 'Yusupov' provide lots of cover to protect the developing tomatoes from the sun. The fruit are oblate-shaped, pink in color, and can get quite large, reaching up to twenty-eight ounces each. It is a nice, old-fashioned, beefsteak-type slicing tomato that is juicy, yet nice and firm.

We received 'Yusupov' from tomato expert and author Craig LeHoullier who told us that he had been given the variety by a reader of his named Donal Day. Other than knowing that it originated in Uzbekistan where "Yusupov" is a common family surname, researching the variety's history and pedigree has resulted in two different story lines.

According to one report, the 'Yusupov' tomato is named after the communist-era Uzbek statesman, Usman Yusupov. They were reportedly cultivated on "his collective farm."^[1] Perhaps the more plausible story is that 'Yusupov' was a selection made by Karim Yusupov, a legendary breeder from the Uzbek Research Institute of Vegetables and Gourds.^[1,2]

Either way, 'Yusupov' is a delicacy often found on the tables of Tashkent people, and is an excellent choice for thinly slicing and used to make their traditional dish, "Achichiq chuchuk," (salad with tomatoes and cucumber). Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds.