Fruit-setting rates in apricot accessions from different cultivation regions of China

Abstract

Apricot (subgenus Armeniaca Mill.) is one of the oldest fruit species in China, belonging to the family Rosaceae, and subfamily Prunoideae. Nine of the ten known apricot species originated from China. The producing areas are divided into five regions according to the natural conditions, scale of production, and diversity of resources and utilization, including the temperate zone of north China, the arid region of northwest China, the frigid zone of northeast China, the highland region of southwest China, and tropical-subtropical regions. Apricot is a very popular fruit for its special taste, bright color, and nutrient content. However, most apricot cultivars in China suffer from low natural fruit-setting rates, which constitute a key basis for cultivation and breeding. In the present study, we investigated the fruit-setting rate of 187 accessions of apricots belonging to seven species in five cultivar regions collected by the National Germplasm Repository for Plums and Apricots in 2006 and 2007. We labeled the flower buds, and recorded the total flowering and fruit-setting rate 4 weeks after full blossom. We discovered cultivars with high fruit-setting rates that provide a basis for selecting apricot for cultivation and breeding.