Characters Identification And Evaluation of Crataegus Resources And Screening of Superior Germplasms

Zhang Yuming; Xin Xiaogui (Sheyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110161)

China; Howthorn; Superior gemplasms; Polyphoid; Dwarfed type

With the steady growth of economy in China, scientific research on Crataegus plants has increased in recent years, but comprehensive and systematic identification and evaluation of Crataegus resources is still lacking. In an effort to further develop and exploit Crataegus resources in China and to promote international exchange of information in this connection, between 1986and 1990, an investigation was launched, in which 110 Crataegus species and varieties were identified and evaluated for their horticultural traits, fruit and processing quality, storage property,chromosome characters and dwarding effect, and 1, 320 data items were obtained and fed into the nation's germplasm bank for use in germplasm resource research and exploitation, in breeding and in exchange of information. In the course of the study, 21 superior germplasm types were screened out, including 2 big fruit types, 2 high sugar content types, 2 high Vc content types,2 extremely storage stable types, 2 types excellent for juice-making, 10 polyploids and 2 dwarfed types.