A new extremely late-ripening peach variety Yushuangmi

Abstract: Peach (Prunus persica L.), originated in China, has been cultivated for a long time. The peach fruits are not suitable for storage and transportation due to the thin skin, soft and juicy flesh. The cultivation of complementary varieties with different maturity dates is necessary for extending market supply. Therefore, the breeding of different ripening complementary varieties are always the main focus of breeding. The extremely late-ripening peach with high sugar content and good flavor are expected by the consumers. Yushuangmi (YSM) is an extremely late ripening peach variety bred by Henan Agricultural University, YSM was derived from the seedlings of Qiumihong (QMH), a late- ripening variety. The seeds of QMH were collected in September of 2001 and sowed in March of 2002 with a planting space 0.5 m×1 m. These seedlings were transplanted to the breeding nursery in December of the same year with a planting space 3 m × 4 m. The seedlings bore fruit in 2004. Based on the fruits characteristics observation of three consecutive years, a high-quality seedling recorded as Yunong 01-2-25-12 was selected in 2006. The regional field trials were conducted in Yuanyang, Xinzheng, and Ningling in 2013. QMH was used as control. The fruits of Yunong 01-2-25-12 showed better quality than QMH in different areas. The ripening date of it in Henan was 15 October, which was about 30 d later than QMH. Yunong 01-2-25-12 was renamed as Yushuangmi (YSM) and was granted new variety certification by the Variet Approval Committee of Henan province in 2019 (S-SV-AP-006-2019). The fruits were round in shape, with a slightly convex on the fruit top. The depth and width of the sutures were medium. The flesh on both sides was symmetrical and uniformly ripe. The average fruit weight was 249.3 g, with thelargest fruit weighing up to 480 g, bigger than that of QMH. The fruit surface had sparse fuzz, and the skin was yellowish-white. When fully ripe, the fruit surface did not change color. The flesh was white and had a firm texture. The average soluble solids and total sugars content were 16.1% and 14.5%, respectively. The average content of vitamin C was 17.5 mg·100 g^-1 , higher than that of QMH. The total acid content was 0.26%. The fruit quality and storage ability were good with a shelf life of approximately 10 days. The yield potential is high. The flower was showy, and the stone was cling. The molecular identification indicated that YSM was offspring of QMH. The suitable cultivation area of YSM would be Henan province.