Breeding report of a new big seed, mid-maturing and red peel pomegranate cultivar Yizhouhong

Abstract: Yizhouhong found in Yicheng district, Shandong province, is a new big seed, mid-maturing,and red peel pomegranate cultivar. The resource survey work was carried out in the main producing ar-eas of Shandong province in 2007. 22 fine individual pomegranates were preliminary selected in 2010.2-year-old cuttings were used to establish the garden in the spring of 2012, it bore a small amount of fruit in the same year. Systematic investigation on the growth and fruiting habits, biological and botanical characteristics was from 2012 to 2015, and then the superior strains were reselected. Among them,the fine individual pomegranate in Yicheng district Liuyuan town Zhu village, had the characteristics of big seed, high juice yield, high content of soluble solids, resistance to fruit cracking, mid-maturing. Re-gional adaptability testing was carried out at three sites (Yicheng district, Shizhong district, and Shan-ting district), and cutting and grafting experiments were carried out at the same time. After many years of continuous observation, Yizhouhong had characteristics of distinctness, uniformity, stability, and the fine comprehensive characteristics. This species is a small tree, attaining a height of 2.6-4.0 m. The tree is vigorous with semicircular crown. Young branches are gray- yellow, perennial branches are gray,branches thorns are very dense. Leaves are long elliptic, entire, base cuneate, 4.7 cm long, 2.1 cm wide.The surface is leathery and smooth. Mature Leaves are dark green. Petiole is light red, 6 cm long. Flow-er is red, large amount, single-lobe and has 6 pieces petals. Sepals are erect. Yizhouhong is a medium-mature variety. The fruit is nearly oblate spherical, surface light red, average fruit weight 460 g, average 100-grain mass 55.1 g. Juice yield 45%, the content of soluble solid 16.2%, grains are reddish, taste sweet. It has excellent comprehensive traits. The fruit development period is 120 d and it matures in mid to late September in Zaozhuang city, Shandong province. It is resistant to dehiscent fruit, and the rate of fruit cracking is only 8%-9% under natural conditions. Suitable cultivation area is Shandong pomegranate producing area, this variety can bear fruits next year after planted, has high yield potential.Orchard should choose the section with deep soil layer, good site conditions and water irrigation condi-tions. This species likes strong light and warm climate. The absolute minimum temperature should above -17 ℃. The best planting area is the sunny slopes of hills with an altitude of about 120 m. In the northern region, the plain must consider frost damage and take antifreeze measures. Spacing in the rows and spacing between rows are (2-3) m×(3-4) m. Fertilization period includes fertilizer in autumn, and topdressing before flowering, young fruit expansion stage, fruit color turning stage. Watering period in-cludes before germination, before fruit expansion and before freezing. After leaves falling and before germination, the whole garden should be sprayed with lime sulphur at a degree of 3°-5°. In the growing season, it is necessary to take agricultural and physical prevention and control as the basis, biological prevention and control as the core, chemical prevention and control as the supplement, give full play to the control role of natural factors, and comprehensively prevent and control the occurrence and spread of diseases and insect pests.