Fruit scientific research in New China in the past 70 years:Longan

Abstract: In the past 70 years since the establishment of the People's Republic of China,longan(Dimocarpus longan Lour.)research has made a great progress. Chinese scientists are now taking the leading position in the world in research of longan germplasm resource collection,genetics and breeding,postharvest biology and biotechnology. Chinese researchers have set up the National Longan Germplasm Resource Nursery in Fuzhou,where the largest collection of longan germplasm in the world is housed.Using a cross breeding system,Chinese researchers have bred new varieties with valuable traits including different fragrances,prolonged hanging life,divergence in maturation period,high quality and high yield,and made significant improvements in longan agricultural production techniques. With the application of varieties of diverged maturation periods according to ecological variations,and with the assistance of longan flower forcing technology,commercial supplies of longan are available year-round in China. Chinese researchers have also developed technologies for food safety and freshness preservation,which is a vital part of longan logistics. In addition,the draft genome sequence and fine reference genome map of longan have been successfully constructed,which accelerates the basic research of longan functional genomics and molecular breeding. In the future,basic research and key technology development and innovation related to longan industry development is expected to be further strengthened.