Breeding report of a new early maturing sand pear cultivar ‘Xinyu’

Abstract：‘Xinyu’is a newly released early maturing fresh sand pear (Pyrus pyrifolia L.) cultivar, which was selected from a across between‘Osa Nijisseiki’and‘Cuiguan’in 2005 at Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences. A total of 100 seedlings were obtained, 90 of which were planted in the pear breeding base of Liangzhu town (Yuhang district, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province, China), and the remaining 10 plants, numbered as D1-D10, were planted in the pear breeding base of Hangzhou. Among them,‘D2’was first selected in 2010 as its fruit show early maturity, attractive uniform fruit sharp and lighten-brown skin color, and excellent eating quality. After regional adaptability tests at three site (Haining, Fuyang and Cixi) for 4 years from 2012 to 2015, it was selected and named as‘Xinyu’in 2016. The tree of‘Xinyu’is moderately vigorous and semi-spreading, with highly germinating and branch development capability. The branches are hard and brittle, easily broken when bending. It’s easy to form lateral flower buds on new shoots. Each inflorescence has an average of 5 to 8 flowers, up to 12 to 13. The color of alabastrum and petals are all white, same as its female parent‘Osa Nijisseiki’, but the alabastrum color is different from its male parent‘Cuiguan’, which is dark-red. The color of young leaf is yellowish-green, but its parents’are all dark-red. About 80% of the flowers with 5 to 6 petals, while the left 20% are pleiopetalous flowers, have 10-14 petals. The fruit is round and uniform, fruit index 0.85. has yellowish-brown skin color. The flesh is white, fine, crispy, and juicy. The average fruit weight is 305 g, maximum fruit weight can reach 700 g. The fruit quality is excellent, which showed average soluble solid content is 12.1%. The average full bloom date for‘Xinyu’ was March 26th, which was very similar to‘Cuiguan’and 1 or 2 days earlier than‘Cuiyu’in 2016- 2018, the optimum fruit ripening time is July 15-18th in middle July in Hangzhou Area (Lat. 120.408 8,Long. 30.427 2), around 3 days later than‘Cuiyu’and 3-5 days earlier than‘Cuiguan’. The fruit development period is around 110 d, suitable for cultivation in sand pear producing areas of Zhejiang and surrounding provinces, it will bear fruit in the third year after planting, yield is high and stable.‘Yuiguan’ ‘Cuiyu’‘Huanghua’‘Hongsucui’can be used as the pollination cultivars. The China Plant Variety Protection application for‘Xinyu’was submitted in October, 2015 (Grant No. 20151364.7), and gained authorization since January, 2018 (Grant No. CNA20151364.7).