Breeding report of a superior early-maturing apricot cultivar Zhongxing No. 3

Abstract: Zhongxing No. 3 is a new early- maturing and frost resistant apricot (Prunus armeniaca Lam.) cultivar selected from 186 hybrid seeds from a crossing between Zaojinyan and Mixiang apricot. Zaojinyan apricot was used as the female parent, which is an extremely early-maturing apricot with only 55 days growth periods. Mixiang apricot was used as the male parent, which is a local variety in Henan Province, with sweet kernel and outstanding fruit quality. Zhongxing No. 3 apricot was approved by the Approval Committee for Improved Varieties of Forest Tree of Henan Province in December, 2021. The fruit shape is near round with attract appearance, and the average fruit weight is 95.80 g, the maximum fruit weight is 105.80 g. The fruit is nearly symmetry, the suture is shallow, the cavity is medium deep, the apex is slightly concave and has no fruit top. The ground color is yellow and the sunny side has red spot at full ripening stage, the fruit surface has villus and the fruit peel is medium thick. The fruit pulp is orange-yellow in color, delicate in texture, with a low fiber content, has balanced sugar/ acid ratio and intense fruity aroma. The fruit soluble solids content is 16.2%, the total soluble sugar content is 9.23%, the total acid content is 0.82%, and the vitamin C content is 8.26 mg · 100 g^{- 1} . The fruit stone is ovate, brown and detached from the flesh. Zhongxing No. 3 apricot has bitter and plump kernel. The edible rate is 96.3%. The flower buds of Zhongxing No. 3 apricot start germinating in early-March, blossoming in mid-March and the flowering period is approximately 7-10 days in Xinxiang, Henan Province. The flower of Zhongxing No. 3 apricot is showy, the anther is light yellow with a lot of pol-len. The fruit ripening date of Zhongxing No. 3 apricot is late May in Xinxiang, Henan province. The leaf buds start germinating in late March and expanding in early April. Trees defoliation starts in earlyNovember. The tree vegetative growth periods are about 220 days. The tree posture of Zhongxing No. 3 apricot is spreading and the tree vigor is strong, and it’s easy to florescence, and the fruits are mainly bore on short fruit branches and bouquet fruit branches. The pollination trees are needed because of its self sterility. The average yield of a five-years old tree would reach up to 45.00 kg. Zhongxing No. 3 apricot is frost resistant and very productive. It would be suitable for cultivation in Henan province and other apricot suitable planting areas of China.