PROGRESS ON PEACH BREEDING IN CHINA

Peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.] breeding in China began in the late 1950’s, based on the funds of national and provincial government.
In 1960’s and 1970’s, early ripening and canning peach were the main objectives, while in 1980’s nectarine and flat peach became more important objectives.
Nectarines with sweet flavor were first released in 1997, and now are the main cultivars for protected cultivation in northern China.
Large size, sweet (high sugar and low acid) flavor, firm flesh, and attractive appearance are the main objectives at present. 208 new cultivars have been released since 2001. About half of the cultivars (51.4%) were obtained through cross pollination, 21.2% by open pollination, and 18.3% by mutation.
Standard peaches represent the greatest part of the new cultivars (58.7%), followed by nectarine (27.9%), flat peaches and nectarines (10.8%), with several cultivars for ornamental use; most of the cultivars are white fleshed (77.2%). The large majority (96.2%) is released by public institutions, while only 3.8% by private breeders.
Breeding of rootstocks is also ongoing, where soil adaptability, resistance to gummosis, waterlogging, clubroot, and to replant problem are main objectives.

VIII International Peach Symposium

R. Ma, M. Yu, J. Xu, Y. Zhang , Z. Shen

Prunus persica (L.) Batsch., cultivar, rootstock

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1084.38