A breeding report on a new mume cultivar Liuliumei 4 (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.)

Abstract: Liuliumei 4 is a new mume cultivar selected from the open pollination seedlings of Nangao. in 2011. A regional test was carried out from 2011 to 2020 in Anhui province The phenological period, growth and fruiting habits, fruit economic characters of Liuliumei 4 were systematically studied in comparison with Nangao mume. Liuliumei 4 is a early ripening variety with good coloration and is suitable for processing. The fruit is in short oval shape and the average weight is 20.6 g, the average transverse diameter of the fruit is 2.6 cm, longitudinal diameter is 2.8 cm. The fruit apex is slightly concave, sutures shallow, and the both sides are not very symmetrical. The base color of the peel is yellowish green, while the sunny side of the fruit is red and the thin peel is difficult to move from the flesh. The flesh is light yellow while the part of the flesh near the stone is deep yellow, firm, medium juicy, and tasteful, and not bitter. The fresh fruit stone weigh is 1.9 g, yellow in color, and short oval in shape. The esculent rate is 90.77% and the content of soluble solid is 7.8%, the titration acids is 3.03%. The leaves of Liuliumei 4 mume are long oval in shape with serrated margin. The new shoots and young leaves are purplish red, the old branches are dark green. The flowers are mostly single with 5 petals, occasionally 6-7, and the petals are white red. The flowering period lasts 15 days. In Wuhu area of Anhui, the bud burst begins on February 5, flowering begins on February 7, the peak of flowering on February 18, the end of flowering on February 20 and the fruit matures on June 5, 7 days earlier than that of Nangao mume. The natural fruit setting rate is 20.4%. In the fourth year after planting, the yield is 27.5 kg per plant at a density of 4 m×4 m. It is suitable for Dabie Mountain, Southern Anhui Mountain, and hilly areas along the river. The SSR molecular identification showed that the DNA of Liuliumei 4 was significantly different from that of Nangao. In 2021, it was approved by Anhui Forest Variety Approval Committee (Accession No.: Wan S-SV-AM-002-2021).