Introduction to Xinchuanzhongdao, a Promising Early-to-Mid Season Peach Variety

Xinchuanzhongdao is a new variety selected by Ikeda Masamoto of Nagano Prefecture, Japan, from the Kawakamijima White Peach. In 1996, our orchard introduced it directly from the Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute. After trial plantings and observations at multiple sites across Xiangyun County, it was determined that this variety has strong cultivation adaptability, early fruiting and high yield, large fruit, attractive full-red coloration, high firmness, excellent storage and transport tolerance, rich aroma, and outstanding quality, with a wide range of suitable growing areas. The fruit ripens in mid-to-late July, making it a large, full-red, high-quality premium peach variety between the early and mid-season types, with high economic value and broad development prospects.

Young trees of this variety grow vigorously, with new shoots branching multiple times; if combined with 2-3 pinching treatments, a stable high-yielding tree structure can form in the same year. After entering heavy fruiting, the tree vigor tends toward moderate and growth becomes stable. Young trees in initial fruiting bear mainly on long and medium fruiting branches, while trees in full fruiting bear mainly on medium and short fruiting branches, which account for more than 76% of the total fruiting branches. Flower bud formation is easy, fruiting is early, and natural pollination fruit set rate is high, giving it early fruiting and high yield characteristics. After planting, the percentage of trees flowering and fruiting in the second year reaches 100%, with an average of 28 fruits per tree, weighing 7.3 kg; 3-year-old trees yield 26.2 kg per tree, equivalent to 1775 kg per mu; 4-year-old trees yield 46.9 kg per tree, equivalent to 3142 kg per mu. The fruit is large, with a single fruit weight of 260-350 g and a maximum single fruit weight of 460 g. It is round to oval, with a flat fruit apex and inconspicuous suture. The fruit is fully bright red, very attractively colored, with a smooth skin and few short hairs. The flesh is yellow-white, pale red near the pit, semi-clinging to the pit, with a small pit and an edible rate as high as 97%; the flesh is crisp and firm with abundant juice. At room temperature it can be stored for 10-15 days, has good marketability, and is extremely tolerant of storage and transport. The fruit has a sugar content above 13.5%, is sweet and tart and palatable, with a distinctive rich aroma and outstanding quality. Among the main promoted peach varieties ripening around July in Xiangyun County, its overall economic traits rank first.