I don't know about saving from late blight infected plants, but otherwise you should be fine. I've done worse and germination tests were near 100% after drying. Of course that's the best way to answer your question. Let them dry and see if ten or so sprout rolled up in a moist paper towel stored in a warm dark place.

One tablespoon to a gallon? I'm not sure how much disinfecting that will do, some certainly, but I don't know if that solution will destroy all pathogens. Once upon a time I was an EMT and we used a quarter-cup of bleach in a gallon of water to make a sterilizing solution. We painted it onto the interior of the ambulances and let it sit for fifteen minutes before wiping off with new paper toweling.

I doubt you harmed your seeds.

Did you rinse off the seeds after the so-called bleach soak?

Anyway, I doubt a tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of water is gonna adversely affect germination. But you can test germinate a few seeds just in case.

A sufficient bleach bath for tomato seeds is one part household bleach (Clorox, Purex, etc. which are 5.25% sodium hypochlorite) to 4 parts tap water, then soaking the already fermented and cleaned seeds for about a minute stirring while you soak them.

If you stir them in the bleach solution for a minute, you most likely won't forget them either :::wink:::

Then rinse the seeds thorougly to remove any bleach residue and dry them.

Chlorine Bleach Bath for Tomato Seeds Facts Sheet

The one tablespoon per gallon formula is similar to the one for a typical disinfecting brew to kill fungus and algae on surfaces. Being they were kept in there for an hour, I think you did well and should not have any unusual problems with seed-borne micro-critters.

And, as long as the seeds were from mature fruit and did not sprout, I see no problem. I would recommend that after the seeds have dried for a few days that you do a simple germination test by putting a few seeds in between two layers of paper towel and put that into a ziplock. Place the ziplock in a warm place (top of the fridge) and check it every couple of days. After 10-14 days, you should know whether or not the seeds are viable.

When in doubt, do a germination test and remove the doubt.

Ted

On saving seeds from late-blight affected fruit:

According to Margaret Tuttle McGrath, Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center, Riverhead, NY:

"Fortunately this pathogen is not able to get inside seed and it does not produce a type of spore that is able to survive the dry conditions on the outside of a seed. Thus there is no concern that late blight will develop as a result of growing plants next year from seed that were in tomato fruit affected by late blight."

I agree that it was a bit of overkill time-wise ;) but I doubt you harmed your seeds. Of far greater concern would be those folks who don't disinfect their seeds as there are other pathogens that can be in or on seed.

Dave

since it was weak it may have been less of an issue but soaking longer than 40 minutes at 1:4 will compromise some germination. This is because some of the bleach water will get inside the seed and the chlorine may start oxidative processes in cells, specifically the stored food called endosperm (same potential with peroxide based rinses like Oxy Clean).

Also, in technical papers on seed physiology/pathology, it is recommended that seed or acid wash treatments be done just prior to sowing the seed not storage.

Again the chlorine that doesnt get rinsed or gets inside the seed coat can have an oxidizing effect on the tissue which can reduce storage time and germination rates.

So do rinses for pathogens PRIOR to sowing and be sure to treat about 20% more than you will need in case germination is effected.

Thank you for all the response. I was only going to soak the seeds
for 15 min, but I forgot about them. I will do the germination test
after they dry...

Good decision. The reason I would like to see you dry the seed first, is that will best simulate what you'll do next spring. Hang in there. I've got a good feeling about this one.

Ted

I sure wouldn't save seed from a Blight infected plant. It isn't worth the risk fooling with that.
Start with seeds from a 'clean' tomato plant.
Plenty to be had on this forum.