A new pomegranate cultivar ‘Zhongshiliu 2’

Abstract：‘Zhongshiliu 2’was selected by Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences. It is a new resistance early-maturing pomegranate variety, we selected it fromcross-fertilize of‘Tunisiruanzi’which was introduced to China in 1986 and‘Yudazi’which was endemic to Henan province. Cross-fertilize were proceeded in June 2002. Hybrid fruits were obtained in September 2002, and then were hid in sand for the winter. Seeds were germinated in March 2003 and sowed inApril. 2 520 hybrid seedlings were obtained eventually. The hybrid seedlings were planted in resourcesnursery of Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences with 0.5 m ×2 m distance between plants in March. They were managed under conventional management. Fruits wereobserved firstly in 2006, after 3 years investigate of plant growth characteristics and fruit traits in2007—2009. 12 pomegranate superior lines were selected and named as‘Zhengliu 1’to‘Zhengliu 12’.Among them,‘Zhengliu 5’has the advantage of high yield, disease resistance and other aspects of out⁃standing performance temporarily named‘Zhongnonghongyu’and then named‘Zhongshiliu 2’officially.In 2010, the experiment was carried out through top grafting, and more than 3 000 seedlings were plantedby light atomization and rapid propagation technology. The experimental orchard of‘Zhongshiliu 2’superior lines was established. In the spring of 2011, 300 strains of pomegranate trees were grafted by top graft⁃ing Kejing town in Jiyuan city with a distance 2 m × 4 m. Then regional adaptability testing of this optimalsystem was at Wuyang district in Luohe city, Shanyang district in Jiaozuo city, Huojia district in Xinxiangcity with more than 300 strains, spacing 2 m × 3 m. Moreover,‘Tunisiruanzi’was cultured as control. After continuous observation for many years, the characters of‘Zhongliu 2’showed: large fruit, high yield,disease resistance, early-mature, perfect appearance and semi-soft seed. Fruit average weight was 450 g,maximum fruit weight was 690 g. The appearance of the strain was pretty. The fruit was nearly round, andthe fruit peel was bright and clean. The fruit surface was red. The coloring rate was over 85%, and fruitcracking was not obvious. Grain red, juicy flavor was sweet and sour, the juice rate was 85.7%, the nucleo⁃lus semi-soft (hardness 4.16 kg·cm^-2) which was edible.‘Zhongshiliu 2’was a small shrub, the tree performance of it showed half-open and grew strong. Young trees’acupuncture were slightly, adult trees’acupuncture were underdeveloped. Annual branches were green in sunny side but brown in night side. Pe⁃rennial branches showed grayish green with rare lenticel. Leaf looks long oval which colored with darkgreen. The average leaf length was 8.3 cm, width was 2.4 cm. Petiole was red with average length 3.3 mm.There are two kinds of flowers on the same plant: bisexual flowers and functional male flowers. Flowerscan appear clusters, pairs and solitary. Most of them were clusters. The flowering period lasted long to 23days. Fruits mainly bore on long branches in saplings, but can bore on either long or short branches inadult pomegranate trees. The ratio of bisexual flowers was 36.2%, then the natural fruit set was 80%. Theaverage yield of 2-year-old tree was 1.5 kg, 6.2 kg in 3-year-old tree, 17.2 kg in 4-year-old tree andeventually up to 25.2 kg in 5-year-old tree, which were higher than‘Tunisiruanzi’.‘Zhongshiliu 2’wasan adaptable variety, which behaved perfect in growth and fruiting in Zhengzhou and Luohe city, Henanprovince.‘Zhongshiliu 2’also had strong resistance, including drought, fruit cracking, dry rot, brown rotand cold. There was a widespread fruit cracking in‘Tunisiruanzi’in 2011, which rapidly decreased theyield of the fruits, but there were a little fruit cracking observed in‘Zhongshiliu 2’, which verified thefruit cracking resistance of‘Zhongshiliu 2’. Low temperature stress was also a serious disaster for the pro⁃duction of soft-hardness seed pomegranate.‘Tunisiruanzi’would be dead when the temperature falls below -10 ℃, but‘Zhongshiliu 2’can resist lowest temperature -12 ℃, which can improve the development of pomegranate industry. In order to obtain high and stable yield, orchard should choose neutral san⁃dy soil, whose pH should be 6.5-7.5. Fertilizing was also an important method for improving the yield.The best form of the tree was small coronal thin layer form, this form including some advantages such asfirm, good stereo, convenient in management, early bearing and good quality and high yield.