Breeding of a new apricot cultivar Jimeihong

Jimeihong is a new early-ripening red apricot cultivar developed through artificial hybridization in 2014 by the Shijiazhuang Institute of Pomology, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences. It was bred from the cross between Yuzhouhong and Fengyuanhong. A total of 1100 hybrid seeds were obtained from this cross. In 2017, key evaluations focused on its fruit development period, appearance, taste, and yield. From 2019 to 2024, regional adaptability trials were conducted in Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, and Baoding. In 2023, it received a Plant Variety Right from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, with the variety right number: 20230433. In 2024, it was officially approved by the Hebei Provincial Forest Tree Cultivar Approval Committee, with the certificate number: Ji S-SVPA-030-2024. This cultivar has moderate growth vigor and a semi-spreading tree posture. Flower buds mainly occur on bouquet spurs and one-year-old branches. The sunny side of one-year-old branches is purplish-brown. Leaves have a rounded base and a broadly obtuse apex, with crenate margins. Flowers are single-petaled, with a diameter of 2.76 cm, white petals, and purple-green sepals. The proportion of complete flowers is 86.58%. The fruit is ovate, with a shallow suture, symmetrical halves, and pubescent skin. The base color of the fruit is orange-yellow, with half of the surface covered in patchy red. The flesh is orange-yellow and fine-textured, with medium fibers, and it is freestone. The average mass of a single fruit is 70.1 g, with the maximum being 99.5 g. The flesh firmness after peeling is 3.39 kg · cm- 2 , and the soluble solid content is 14.1% . In the Shijiazhuang area, the initial flowering period is around March 20th, and the fruits mature in mid to late May, with a fruit development period of 56 to 58 days. Compared to the control cultivar Jintaiyang, the average single fruit mass of Jimeihong is 4.8 g higher, the soluble solid content is 3.1% higher, and the fruit flesh firmness after peeling is 1.22 kg·cm-2 higher. The fruit has a clean and shiny appearance and good storage and transportation properties. Young trees begin bearing fruit in the second or third year after planting. Mature trees top-grafted onto 6-year-old rootstocks start bearing in the 2nd year, yielding 1898 kg per 666.7 m2 in the 3rd year and 2112 kg in the 4th year after grafting. This variety is suitable for cultivation in central and southern Hebei Province. Recommended tree-training shapes include open-center, natural round-topped, or delayedopen-center systems. The suitable planting density is (2.5-4.0) m × (4.0-5.0) m. It primarily bears fruit on spurs and bouquet spurs. It is suggested to control the distance between adjacent fruits on the same side to 10-15 cm and keep the yield at 2000 kg per 666.7 m2 to achieve optimal quality.