A new early-ripening table grape cultivar Yuanxiangfei

Abstract: Yuanxiangfei is a new early-maturing table grape cultivar bred by Shenyuan Grape Co., Ltd. From a cross between Red Baraldo and Eros Rose. Our original goal was to obtain a table grape with a bright red color, a precocious characteristic and a rose-scented aroma. 328 hybrid seeds were obtained through controlled artificial pollination in 2013. 154 seedlings were obtained, and 100 plants were transplanted to a research nursery in 2014. The hybrid trees started fruiting in 2016 and a promising tree with good performance as early-maturing, brightly red color, and a rose-scented aroma was selected in 2017. regional tests were conducted in Zhangjiagang and Guanyun County of Jiangsu Province, Jianshui County of Yunnan Province etc. from 2018 to 2020. It was finally named Yuanxiangfei and given new plant patent by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PRC. The top of the new shoot was semi-open, without creeping hairs, and the main vein on the back of the young leaf had no upright hairs and no creeping hairs between the main veins. The color of the back of the internodes of the new shoot was red, and the ventral side was green with red stripes, without upright hairs. The mature leaves were pentagonal, 5-lobed, with a widened petiole depression and a U- shaped base. The petiole depression was not limited by the leaf veins. The cluster was medium-sized, conical, with a weight of 450-650 g. The berrys were moderately dense, with uniform size, oval shape, red-purple peel. The everage weight of a single berry was 8.9 g. The berry powder was thin, the peel was thin and the peel and flesh were easily separated. The flesh was crispy, juicy, strongly aromatic and not astringent. Each berry contained 1-2 seed (s). The soluble solid content was 21.5%. The quality was medium to high. The plant growth potential was strong, and the hidden bud germination rate was high. The bud germination rate was 90.3%, and the fruiting branch rate was 95.1%. The flower bud differentiation was easy, and the average number of fruiting branches generated from a fruiting branch was 2.2. The natural fruit setting was fine, and fruit drop was rare. The yield should be controlled in 1200-1500 kg·666.7 m^-2 to ensure good coloration. The branches were highly mature, and suitable to keep 2 buds in winter pruning. Under rainsheltered cultivation conditions in southern Jiangsu Province, the buds bursted in late March, the flower buds bloomed in early May, and the berrys matured in early July. Under the same cultivation conditions, the berrys would mature 12-15 days earlier than Summer Black. It would be suitably cultivated in most grape-producing areas in China. It is recommended to cultivate with rain shelter in the areas with abundant rainfall, and it could be cultivated in the open field in cool areas.