Exploration of Actinidia genetic resources and development of kiwifruit industry in China
2003
Huang, H. (Hanson) | Wang, S. | Jiang, Z. | Zhang, Z. | Gong, J.
The genus Actinidia Lindl. comprises 66 species and about 118 taxa. Except four species native to neighboring countries, sixty-two species, about 45 varieties and 7 forms naturally occur in China. Such unusual wide range variation of the species diversity and rich genetic resource provides tremendous potential for cultivar improvement to enhance the sustainability of the world kiwifruit industry. A government organized and nationwide-scaled selection program initiated in China in late 1970s was set up for two targeted missions: 1) a national germplasm survey and inventory of natural resource of Actinidia; 2) selection of superior genotypes for cultivar development, which was designated to develop new cultivars superior over the most widely grown ‘Hayward’. More than 1400 superior genotypes were selected from wild populations of A. chinensis, A. deliciosa and A. arguta. Most of them went through the follow-up topworking in research stations and evaluation, experimental trials, regional tests and replicated trials in commercial scales, 57 cultivars and a large number of selections have been developed. The outcome of the program resulted in a unique situation of present China kiwifruit industry having a cultivar structure different from the rest of the world. The cultivar development in China resulted in significant contributions to the world kiwifruit industry in domestication of A. chinensis over the past 20 years. China has become one of the largest producers in the world with an annual production of 340,420 tons, and 57,396 ha. planted.
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