Breeding report of a new later-maturing litchi cultivar Datanghong

Abstract: The new litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cultivar Datanghong was selected from occasional seedling. Observation on several generations of vegetatively propagated individuals showed that the hereditary traits of the line were stable. The new variety had high production and yield stability. The fruits had high edible rate, highly aborted seeds and less cracking. The fruit maturing date was late, being harvested in late June to mid July, 7-10 days later than Guiwei and 3-7 days earlier than Heli. The fruit was heart- shaped, large, with bright red peel and inconspicuous suture line. The flesh was thick and crispy, sweet and slightly aromatic. The average weight of single fruit was 40.68 g and the maximum weight was 48.70 g. The edible rate was 80.86%, the soluble solids content was 19%-24%, the total sugar content was 19.3% , the titratable acid content was 0.09%, the vitamin C content 274.24 μg · g- 1 and the coke core was 85%. It had a good grafting compatibility with Heli. The tree form was nearly round. The tree vigor was medium. The leaves were long elliptic and opposite. The flower was cone-shaped. The planting spacing was (4-5) m × (5-8) m. The short cutting and light thinning, and bending would be recommended. The variety would be suitable for large-scale cultivation in the hot areas of low latitude and low altitude in Guangxi.