A new extremely late-maturing grape cultivar Chixia Hongyan

Chixia Hongyan is a new extremely late-maturing grape cultivar derived from the cross between Shine Muscat and Xinya by the Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Cross pollination was carried out in 2015, and more than 1200 hybrid seeds were obtained. In 2016, 343 hybrid seedlings were obtained. They were transplanted in 2017 and entered the fruiting period in 2019. After observation from 2020 to 2021, the line numbered C1-15-01 was selected as a superior line. It has the characteristics of excellent flowering performance, red color, crisp flesh, fruity aroma and sweet flavor, and is suitable for seedless cultivation. In 2024, it was granted plant cultivar rights (CNA20221007230) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and was named as Chixia Hongyan. The tender shoot tips are open weaked colored by anthocyanins, with sparse hairs. The new shoots grow semi-erect, and the color of the dorsal side of the internode is green with red stripes. The upper surface of the young leaves is dark reddish brown, and there is no creeping hair between the main veins on the back. The mature leaves are 5-lobed, pentagonal and green, and the leaf surface is bubbly convex. The jagged shape is convex on both sides. The shape of the leaf serrations is straight on both sides. The upper lobe is deep and overlapped, and the lower lobe is open. The petiole is red, and the base of the petiole is closed. The main vein on the back of the leaf is erect and furry, and the color intensity on the main vein on the front is weak. Mature leaves are pentagonal and green with 5 lobes, and the leaf surface is bubbly convex. The shape of the serrations is convex on both sides. The upper lateral sinus is deeply carved and overlapped, while the lower open. The petiole is red, base of petiole groove is closed. The erect hairs on the main vein in the lower side of the leaves are dense, and the color intensity on the main vein in the upper side is weak. Flowers are bisexual. The first inflorescence usually emerges on the third node. The cluster is conical and medium in density, with an average weight of 613.6 g. The berries are oval, and the pedicel is difficult to separate from the berry. The berries are neat and evenly mature. The average berry weight is about 7.1 g, and in the seedless cultivation, it can reach 13.2 g. The fruit is pink to red-violet in color. The peel is crisp, medium in thickness and easy to be separated from the flesh. The juice has no color, and the taste is sweet. The flesh is crispy and has fruity aroma. Total soluble solid content is in the range of 19.8%, with 1-2 seeds. It is suitable for seedless treatment. This cultivar is suitable for planting in slightly acidic to neutral soils (pH 6.0-7.5) under rain-shelter facility cultivation in Zhejiang province, and pergola trellis (T shaped, H shaped or bird-wing shaped) are recommended for this cultivar, allowing one fruit cluster in each bearing shoot. For increasing berry weight and improving quality, the yield per 666.7 m2 should be controlled to be in a range of 1250-1500 kg when using seedless cultivation. This cultivar sprouts in mid to late March, blooms in early May, and matures in early to mid October. It has good cultivation and market performance in Zhejiang area, and has a broad application potential and strong market competitiveness.