Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America – Eggplant

Lists 1-27 Combined

Edited by Mark G. Hutton

Sakata Seed America
P. O. Box 1118
Lehigh, FL 33970-1118

and Bernard L. Pollack

1932 Sunlight Court
Oceanside, CA 92056-2522

Agora – Breeder and vendor: Rogers NK. Characteristics: oval to round dark purple fruit, compact sturdy plant suitable for stake or ground culture. Adaptation: wide.

AL 1205 – Breeder and vendor: DeRuiter. Characteristics: cylindrical purple fruit, 20-30 cm long, vigorous open compact plant, sets well under cool night conditions.

Apple Green – Breeder: New Hampshire Agric. Expt. Sta., Durham. Vendor: Colprits, Dover, N.H. Parentage: N.H. x Solanum integrifolium, cultivar Chinese Red. Characteristics: very early green fruit on highly productive upright plants; sets fruit under adverse northern conditions. 1964.

Avan – Breeder and vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: elongate teardrop shape, vigorous plants with high yields, fruit is firm and ships well.

Badger State – Breeder: Wisconsin Agric. Expt. Sta., Madison. Parentage: Black Bountiful x Black Beauty. Characteristics: small upright plant, early maturity, slightly elongated fruit. Similar: New Hampshire Hybrid cultivar. Adaptation: Middle West, especially Northern areas. 1946.

Bambino (PS 8280) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: ornamental eggplant for pot culture, dwarf plants about 15″ tall, pretty lavender flowers, miniature dwarf black fruit about 1″ long are edible. Resistance: tobacco mosaic virus. 1992.

Barbantane Hybrid – Breeder: Atlas Seeds. Vendor: Atlas Seeds. Characteristics: long cylindrical fruit, 2 x 10 inch, glossy purple black fruit with green calyx, Baluroi type. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Baluroi.

Beauty (PSR 5978) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, fruit almost spherical. very dark black to purple and glossy, somewhat smaller than Black Beauty, very early, plant small, green calyx. Resistance: tobacco mosaic virus. Similar: Black Beauty. Adaptation: wide. 1980.

Berinda – Breeder and vendor: DeRuiter. Characteristics: medium half long type, dark purple, medium vigorous, open plant, uniform grading, excellent shape, suitable for mid early and later crops in greenhouse or open field.

Billionaire – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee and Co. 2000.

Black Beauty – Vendor: Atlas Seeds. Characteristics: open pollinated cultivar, oval to deep globe shape, smooth dark glossy maroon with green calyx, spineless, suitable for fresh market and home garden.

Black Bell (PSR 5975) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, round-oval fruit, very dark black-purple color, fruit size 3.25 x 6 inch, glossy deep purple black color, medium size plant, height 28-30″. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Black Beauty. Adaptation: wide; commercial and home garden use. 1977.

Black Beret (HMX 2531) – Breeder: Rosa Dumlao. Vendor: Harris Moran. Characteristics: early, round-oval, holds black glossy color for a longer time than Black Magic, responds well to hormone treatment. Similar: Black Magic. 1989.

Black Blazer (79-405) – Breeder and vendor: Agric. Canada. Research Branch Research Sta., Harrow, Ontario. Parentage: PI 176759 (Harrow-Ottawa 59 strain of this USDA selection, was chief source of resistance to verticillium). Characteristics: open pollinated, deep purple skin and purple calyx, fruit long, cylindrical with peduncle separation from plant stem; tall upright plant. Resistance: Verticillium dahliae. Similar: Classic. Adaptation: wide. 1980.

Black Bumper – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: cylindrical shape, glossy black skin, green calyx, extra early, medium size upright plant, suitable for greenhouse or open field. Resistance: high tolerance to heat.

Black Dragon – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: small egg shaped fruit, lustrous purple color, extra early and prolific, open short internode plant, good for greenhouse and open field.

Black Enorma – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: long oval shape, black skin, upright plant, early and productive, good for greenhouse and open field.

Black Jack – Breeder and vendor: Agway. Characteristics: hybrid, upright sturdy plant with uniform large tear-drop shaped fruit of dark-purple color. Resistance: verticillium wilt. Similar: Jersey King. Adaptation: northeastern United States. Agway Vegetable Seed Catalog, 1972.

Black King – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: slightly elongate oval, black fruit, green calyx, medium size plant, suitable for greenhouse and open field production. Resistance: high tolerance to heat.

Black Magic – Breeder: and Vendor: Joseph Harris Company, Rochester, New York. Characteristics: F1, early, productive, medium-sized, round-oval fruit, fruit with good glossy dark, deep purple color; broad spreading plant, reliable yields. Similar: Black Beauty. Adaptation: eastern United States. Harris Catalog, 1952.

Black Oval – Breeder and vendor: Joseph Harris Co. Characteristics: hybrid, early productive type with oval, dark-colored fruit. Similar: Black Magic. Adaptation: general in the United States and Mexico. Joseph Harris Company Catalog, 1971.

Black Shine – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: long slender oriental type, black fruit, purple calyx, extra early, medium tall upright plant, good for greenhouse and open field.

Blacknite – Characteristics: oval fruit shape, 9 x 3.5 inch, deep purple color, early maturing. Resistance: TMV.

Blue Marble – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee and Co.

Bride – Breeder: Known-You Seed. Vendor: Stokes. Characteristics: long slender fruit, 8 x 1.5 inch, matures rose light rose/white stripes and pure white fruit; green calyx, very tender, great taste.

Burpee Hybrid – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia. Characteristics: F1, early, medium sized oval fruit, held well off the ground on a tall plant, dark glossy purple color. Resistance: drought. Adaptation: wide. Burpee catalog, 1947.

Burpees Jersey King Hybrid – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia. Characteristics: F1, considerably earlier than other highball types; dark glossy purple color with contrasting green calyx and more productive than open pollinated types. Similar: Fort Myers Market. Adaptation: all but most northern United States. Burpee catalog, 1963.

Burpees White Beauty – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia, Philadelphia. Parentage: an Italian cultivar, name unknown. Characteristics: plants tall, vigorous with large leaves. Similar: New York Improved, but white fruit. Adaptation: wide. Burpee Catalog, 1938-42.

Casper (Dourga) – Breeder: INRA. Vendor: Stokes. Characteristics: open pollinated, cylindrical 6 x 2.75 inch white fruit, green calyx. Similar: Ghostbuster.

Charming – Breeder and vendor: Known-You Seed. Characteristics: cylindrical fruit, 16 x 5.8 cm, purple-green calyx, medium purple to reddish purple skin, white flesh, medium large, spreading branched plant, very prolific.

Classic – Breeder and vendor: Harris Moran. Characteristics: elongate-oval, glossy purple-black fruit, medium tall upright plant, fancy fruit appearance, good luster to fruit color, performance is limited in winter production areas. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Epic.

Classic (RS) – Breeder and vendor: Joseph Harris Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, long, slim tapered fruit with glossy black color. Resistance: tolerance to verticillium wilt. Similar: Jersey King. Adaptation: eastern United States. 1972.

Classy Chassis – Vendor: Stokes. Characteristics: elongate-oval, glossy black fruit, green calyx. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Classic, Epic.

Cloud Nine – Breeder: M. Hutton. Vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: elongate-oval, white fruit, 17 x 8 cm, green calyx, medium to large spreading plant. Similar: Casper, Ghostbuster.

Comprido Verde Claro – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: oval shape 3-4 inch long, slightly ribbed, shinny lime green turning orange at seed maturity, green calyx, tall plant.

Crescent Moon – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee and Co. 2000.

Dobrix – Breeder and vendor: DeRuiter. Characteristics: medium to large, half-long, dark purple fruit, excellent fruit shape, glossy dark purple, bright green calyx, vigorous open plant, adapted to heated greenhouse.

Dusky (PSX 572) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Parentage: F1 hybrid. Characteristics: upright spreading plant, very early (about 60 days), elongated oval fruit 3 x 6.5 inch glossy black with green calyx. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Hybrid Mission Bell. Adaptation: market and home garden. 1975.

Early Beauty – Breeder and vendor: Atlas Seeds. Characteristics: round-oval 4 x 7 inch fruit, glossy deep purple black with green calyx, medium size plant, excellent for commercial and home garden production. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Bonica.

Early Beauty Hybrid – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia. Characteristics: F1, very early, small oval fruit of very dark-purple color; stems and leaf veins purple. Adaptation: wide, even in the northern United States. Burpee catalog, 1962.

Early Midget (Z601) – Breeder: Res. Sta., Morden, Manitoba, Canada. Vendor: Farmer Seed and Nursery Co. Parentage: Kissin x Blackie. Characteristics: plants dwarf, dark purple colored foliage. Similar: Blackie. Adaptation: Plains region. 1958.

Early Prolific F2 – Breeder and vendor: Dessert Seed Co. Characteristics: F2 hybrid, heavy yields. Similar: Florida Market. Adaptation: wide.

Early Slicer – Breeder and vendor: Agway. Characteristics: hybrid, dark purple cylindrical, moderate large fruit. Resistance: verticillium. Similar: Japanese hybrids. Adaptation: northeastern United States. Agway Catalog, 1967.

Easter Egg (PSR 6177) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, compact (about 2 feet tall), productive; fruit white, oval, about 2″ long, turning yellow at maturity; calyx green with few spines, adapted for ornamental use. Resistance: TMV. Adaptation: wide. 1979.

Ebony Bush (79-406) – Breeder and vendor: Agric. Canada, Research Branch, Research Station, Harrow. Ontario. Parentage: Harrow-Ontario S9 strain of USDA PI 176759 used as main source of resistance to verticillium. Characteristics: open pollinated shorter than Black Blazer and Purple Cape; green calyx; easy peduncle separation as in Black Blazer. Resistance: verticillium dahliae. Similar: Black Beauty. Adaptation: wide. 1980.

Epic – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: oval shape 4 x 8.25 inch, deep purple black color, green calyx, good marketable quality, upright plant. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Classic.

Everglades – Breeder and vendor: Atlas Seeds. Characteristics: oval/teardrop shape, very shiny purple black, tall plant, good disease resistance. Resistance: TMV. Similar: Epic.

Fairy Tale (PS 2409080) – Breeder and vendor: Seminis Vegetable Seeds. Parentage: F1 hybrid. Characteristics: miniature bush plant 18 inches tall; purple and white striped elongated fruit 4 x 2 inches; 2004 All America Selections Winner. Adaptation: NAFTA – home garden. 2004.

Farmers Long – Breeder and vendor: Known-you Seed. Characteristics: long slender oriental type, 30 x 3 cm, medium purple-red skin, purple-green calyx, erect plant, very prolific. Resistance: tolerant to bacterial wilt. Similar: Pingtung Long.

Fingerling Dark Purple – Breeder and vendor: Burpee Seed Co. Adaptation: U.S. 2003.

Fingerling Green – Breeder and vendor: Burpee Seed Co. Adaptation: U.S. 2003.

Fingerling Light Purple – Breeder and vendor: Burpee Seed Co. Adaptation: U.S. 2003.

Fingerling White – Breeder and vendor: Burpee Seed Co. Adaptation: U.S. 2003.

Florida Beauty – Breeder: Florida Agric. Expt. Sta., Gainesville. Parentage: wild eggplant from India and commercial cultivars grown in Florida. Characteristics: medium size plant, early, 80 days. Resistance: Phomopsis vexans, tipover, and bottle neck. Similar: New Orleans Market or Black Beauty. Adaptation: southeastern United States. 1948.

Florida Market – Breeder: Florida Agric. Expt. Sta., Gainesville. Vendor: Atlas Seeds. Parentage: wild eggplant from India and commercial cultivars grown in Florida. Characteristics: open pollinated, oval to almost teardrop shape, smooth glossy blackish purple color with green calyx, large upright plant, continuous setter. Resistance: Phomopsis, tipover, and bottle neck. Similar: Fort Myers Market, Special Highbush. Adaptation: southeastern United States. 1948.

Fond Long – Breeder and vendor: Known-You Seed. Characteristics: long slender oriental type, reddish purple skin, purple-green calyx, vigorous spreading plants with smaller leaves, spineless. Resistance: tolerant to bacterial wilt.

Fond May – Breeder and vendor: Known-You Seed. Characteristics: long slender oriental type, dark glossy purple skin, purple calyx, spreading plant.

Fullness – Breeder and vendor: Known-You Seed. Characteristics: round-oval shape, 10 x 9.5 cm, purple-black skin, pale green flesh, tall spreading branched plants, fruit ship well.

Gator (XP 2025) – Breeder and vendor: Asgrow Seed Co. Parentage: Florida Market x breeding line. Characteristics: open pollinated, darker colored fruit. Similar: Florida Market 10. Adaptation: southeastern United States.

Ghostbuster – Breeder and vendor: Harris Moran. Characteristics: oval shape 6-7 inch long, white color fruit, sweet flavor, broad semi-upright plant. Similar: Casper, Cloud Nine.

Green Goddess – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: uniform long cylindrical pale green fruit, 8 x 2 inch, strong spreading plant, unique type. Adaptation: home garden.

Ichiban (5275) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, early, foot long, thin cylinder shaped Japanese type; dark purple fruit color, slow seed development, fourth purple calyx; medium tall plant (36″). Similar: Japanese Long Purple. Adaptation: wide. 1977.

Imperial (PSR 2176) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, very early European type with long, cylindrical glossy, purple-black-colored fruit; plant tall and vigorous; slow seed development. Similar: Balloroi. Adaptation: wide. 1978.

Imperial Black Beauty – Characteristics: open pollinated cultivar, teardrop-cylindrical shape, dark purple color.

Italian Pink Bicolor – Vendor: Stokes. Characteristics: open pollinated cultivar, oval fruit, approximately 8 inch diameter, cream/rose color, mature fruit color is rose pink, purple calyx.

Kermit – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: round, 2 inch diameter fruit, white blossom end with a deep green striped shoulder and green calyx, compact well branched plant, with heavy set; Thai specialty.

Kurume Long Purple – Vendor: Takii. Characteristics: open pollinated; long slender oriental type, black fruit with purple calyx, very vigorous plant, late maturing.

Lavender Touch (PS 1993) – Breeder: Jim Waltrip. Vendor: Seminis-Petoseed. Parentage: F1 hybrid. Characteristics: white, tear drop shape fruit with lavender blush. Resistance: MV-Tomato Mosaic Virus. Similar: no cultivar like it. Adaptation: home garden.

Little Fingers – Breeder and vendor: Harris Moran. Characteristics: small cylindrical oriental type, glossy black fruit with green calyx, fruit in clusters of 5-10 fruit, very productive, can be used as a mini-vegetable.

Long Purple – Vendor: Atlas Seeds. Characteristics: open pollinated cultivar, oblong cylindrical, smooth dark purple with green calyx, tall plant with large leaves, continuous setter. Adaptation: wide.

Louisiana Long Green – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: open pollinated heirloom cultivar, long slender about 9 inch, glossy light green, tender and mild.

Machiaw – Characteristics: long, skinny oriental type fruit, 9 x 0.75 inch; pink skin similar in color to Neon; tender flesh; strong plant with continuous yield. Similar: Neon.

Madonna – Breeder and vendor: DeRuiter. Characteristics: medium size, half long, purple skin, medium vigorous open plant. Adaptation: excellent for open field and greenhouse.

Maya (XPH 5193) – Breeder and vendor: Asgrow. Characteristics: oval shape, slightly elongated fruit, good yields, excellent shelf life. Similar: Bonica, Missionbelle. 1986.

Megal – Breeder and vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: cylindrical fruit, 7-9 inch long, purple black color, very uniform, excellent shelf life and flavor, few spines, early maturity. Resistance: CMV, TMV.

Millionaire – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: slender, oriental type, dark purple fruit color, purple calyx, early maturing.

Minnoval – Breeder: University of Minnesota, University Farm, Saint Paul. Vendor: Vaughns Seed Co. Parentage: inbred lines of Chinese Wonder and Black Beauty. Characteristics: early, small, oval fruit, about one pound in weight, prolific, good yield. Adaptation: northern areas. 1942.

Mirabel (XPH 966) – Breeder and vendor: Asgrow Seed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, long cylindrical fruit, very uniform with dark color. Similar: Italian types. 1982.

Mission Bell – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Company, Saticoy, California. Characteristics: F1, home and market garden type. Adaptation: northern United States. The Peto Story, Petoseed Company, 1954.

Money Maker No. 2 – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: small teardrop cylindrical to egg shape fruit, glossy black with purple calyx, productive and extra early, good for greenhouse and open field.

Morocha – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: oval-teardrop shape, 20 x 9 cm, dark glossy black color, and vigorous plant. Similar: Classic.

Nadia – Breeder and vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: oval long, 4.5 x 9 inch; attractive, very firm purple black fruit, early maturity, vigorous plant, long harvest period, sets well under cool conditions.

Neon – Breeder and vendor: Shamrock. Characteristics: teardrop 3 x 8 inch, rose pink color fruit, unique fruit color.

New Hampshire Hybrid – Breeder: University of New Hampshire, Durham. Parentage: Black Beauty x Dwarf Purple. Characteristics: early, ability to set fruit under cool temperatures. Similar: Black Beauty. Adaptation: lower temperatures, New England and northern United States. J.R. Hepler, 1954. 1938.

Night Shadow – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: elongate oval, 20 x 9 cm, dark glossy black, holds color well, very productive. Similar: Classic. Adaptation: Southwest and Northeast U.S. and Mexico.

Nile (XP 760) – Breeder and vendor: Asgrow Seed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, larger and more tapered than Long Purple, highly uniform. Similar: Long Purple. Adaptation: California and Florida. 1980.

No. 226 – Characteristics: round 3 inch diameter fruit, dark purple, glossy and smooth; short plants.

Orient Charm – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: long cylindrical oriental type, 8-10 x 1.5 inch fruit, color ranges from fluorescent pink to pastel pink and white, green calyx, strong plant with good second-early yields.

Orient Express – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: long cylindrical oriental type, 8-10 inch long, glossy black fruit, purple calyx, sets well under both cool and hot conditions, early.

Oriental Bride – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: long slender 8 x 1.5 inch fruit, borne in clusters of two or three fruit, light purple skin with white stripes, compact, well-branched plants.

Pingtung Long – Breeder and vendor: Known-You Seed. Characteristics: long slender oriental type, purple-red skin, purple-green calyx, tall erect plant. Resistance: tolerant to heat and bacterial wilt.

Pompano Pride – Breeder and vendor: Niagara Chemical Division FMC. Characteristics: long oval fruit of uniform black-purple color. Resistance: Phomopsis. Similar: Florida Market. Adaptation: general.

Prelane – Breeder and vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: cylindrical fruit, 8-9 inch long, glossy dark skin, very consistent in size. Adaptation: wide.

Puerto Rican Beauty – Breeder: Puerto Rico Agric. Expt. Sta., Rio Piedras. Vendor: Seed Farms Division, Puerto Rico Agric. Expt. Sta. Parentage: Black Beauty x Native strain. Characteristics: prolific. Similar: Black Beauty cultivar. Adaptation: tropics. 1944.

Purple Blush – Breeder: M. Hutton. Vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: oval, 5 x 4 inch fruit, white to purple blush color.

Purple Cape (79-402) – Breeder: and Vendor: Agric. Canada, Research Branch, Harrow, Ontario. Parentage: Harrow-Ottawa S9 strain of USDA PI 176759 used as main source of resistance to verticillium. Characteristics: open pollinated, long black fruit but fade to purple at large size, productive in wilt infested soil; normal peduncle separation, tall upright plant, green calyx. Resistance: verticillium dahliae. Similar: Black Beauty. Adaptation: wide. 1980.

Rayada – Breeder: Puerto Rico Agric. Expt. Sta., Rio Piedras. Vendor: Seed Farms Division, Puerto Rico Agric. Sta. Parentage: Native White x unknown. Characteristics: very prolific, white flesh, light purple with white stripes. Similar: Florida Market. Adaptation: tropics. 1944.

Rega (NVH 2227) – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King. Characteristics: long oval-shaped fruit; size 7 x 3.5 inch, glossy dark purple, plant is very vigorous, uniform height, glossy purple color is unique characteristic of this cultivar. 1986.

Regal – Breeder and vendor: Rogers Northrup King. Characteristics: oval to round dark purple fruit, tall vigorous plant, high yielding. Adaptation: wide.

Rosita – Breeder: Puerto Rico Agric. Expt. Sta., Rio Piedras. Vendor: Seed Farms Division, Puerto Rico Agric. Sta. Parentage: Native White x Black Beauty. Characteristics: very prolific, white flesh, deep rose color. Similar: Florida high bush. Adaptation: tropics. 1944.

Rosita – Vendor: Stokes Seeds. Characteristics: long teardrop-cylindrical, unique rose pink color, green calyx. Similar: Neon.

Royal Knight (41-37-8) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Characteristics: hybrid, tall upright plant, holding elongated, glossy deep purple fruit well off soil. Similar: New Jersey Market. 1971.

Santana (NVH 2228) – Breeder and vendor: Rogers-NK. Characteristics: long tear drop glossy purple plant on a upright bush. Similar: Classic.

Shoya Long – Breeder and vendor: Takii. Characteristics: very long slender oriental type, purplish black fruit, purple calyx, tall upright plant, vigorous grower, fine quality, medium late maturity.

Slim Purple – Breeder and vendor: Known-You Seed. Characteristics: long slender oriental type, 30 x 2.8 cm, purple-red glossy fruit, greenish purple calyx, spineless, medium tall spreading plants with few leaves, very prolific with extra slim fruit.

Snowy – Vendor: Johnny’s. Characteristics: tear drop cylindrical 7×2.5 inch, white skinned fruit, early maturing, upright plant, well adapted, specialty and roadside markets.

Special Highbush – Vendor: several. Characteristics: open pollinated cultivar, elongate teardrop shape, intensely colored black fruit, tall upright plant.

Super Hybrid – Breeder and vendor: Eastern States Farmers Exchange, West Springfield, Massachusetts. Characteristics: medium tall plant with dark, oblong, egg-shaped fruit held off the ground. E.S. catalog. 1952.

Tango – Breeder and vendor: DeRuiter. Characteristics: cylindrical fruit 7×2 inch, white fruit, good yields, and strong plant. Similar: Casper, Ghostbuster.

Tania – Breeder and vendor: Rogers NK. Characteristics: oval to long oval dark purple fruit, medium tall semi-erect plants, plants have few spines, yields well under cool conditions.

Tasca – Breeder and vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: can produce constant quality fruit over long cycles, shiny black fruit, green spineless calyx, uniform size, average weight 350 g. Resistance: cucumber mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic virus. Similar: Black Bell, Mission Bell. 1991.

Twilight (PSX 48450) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: very early maturity, 64 day maturity, beautiful oval fruit, superior yield potential, uniform 8 1/4″ x 4″ fruit are deep purple color. Resistance: tobacco mosaic virus. Similar: Florida Market. 1994.

UGA 1-MS (Male Sterile) – Breeder: Phatak and Jaworski. Vendor: Coastal Plain Agric. Res. Sta., Tifton, GA. Characteristics: 80-110 cm tall, vigorous plant, purple flowers, leaves and stems, fruit is purplish black, oval globe shaped, sterility is due to failure of anthers to dehisce, will not self pollinate. 1989.

Vaughans Hybrid – Breeder: Vaughans Seed Company, Downers Grove, Illinois. Characteristics: F1, very vigorous and productive; fruit broad, oval and very dark purple. Similar: Black Beauty. 1953.

Vernal – Breeder and vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: average to high plant vigor, having few spines, fruit of very good appearance, shiny black color, average weight 280-300 g. Resistance: cucumber mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic virus. Similar: Avan, Rima. 1990.

Virgin Long – Breeder: Agric. Exp. Sta., Ramcharan, Padda. Characteristics: long cylindrical shaped, light to dark purple color, late maturing, average, weight 202 g, good texture, high yields (40.2 Mg/ha). Resistance: high tolerance to phomopsis rot and high pH soils. 1982.

Viserba (XP 2020) – Breeder and vendor: Asgrow Seed Co. Parentage: selected from European cultivar. Characteristics: open pollinated, long, slender, very black fruit. Similar: Long Purple. Adaptation: southeastern Europe. 1976.

Vista – Breeder and vendor: Sakata. Characteristics: cylindrical, deep purple-black fruit, early maturing, large vigorous plant, very productive.

Vittoria – Breeder: Petoseed. Vendor: Stokes. Characteristics: very long cylindrical, deep purple Imperial type, green calyx, mild flavor. Resistance: TMV.

Voo-doo – Breeder and vendor: Moran Seeds. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, Italian type fruit, cylindrical up to 10″ long, dark glossy purple; plant is 36-40″ tall; fruit is held high off ground; 63 day to maturity. Similar: Imperial Slim Jim. Adaptation: wide. 1980.

White Egg – Breeder and vendor: DeRuiter. Characteristics: small size egg shape white fruit, medium vigorous open plant.

Zebra – Characteristics: elongated oval, purple with white stripes, very attractive with good flavor.