Detailed introduction to the new dwarf peach variety Zhong'ai 33
Zhong'ai 33 is an extremely dwarf early-ripening peach variety successfully bred by the Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. According to cultivation observations at the high-tech agricultural park of Hebei Tiangong Industrial Company, a 3-year-old high-yielding tree at fruit harvest time had a tree height of 50 cm to 60 cm, a branch spread of 60 cm x 80 cm, and a trunk circumference of 9.7 cm. The tree is vigorous and the canopy is compact. Leaves are 3.8 cm x 20.4 cm, dark green. Internodes are extremely short, new shoots are thick and strong, flower bud formation is easy, pollen quantity is large, fruit set rate is high, and yields are high. Under open-field conditions, the fruit ripens in mid-to-late June, the fruit is relatively large, with an average single fruit weight of 129 g and a maximum single fruit weight of 159.8 g. When ripe, the entire fruit is purplish red, with few hairs, and is oval to nearly round. The flesh is red and white, dense in texture, hard-melting, and relatively juicy, with a clingstone pit. The soluble solids content of the fruit is 9% to 11.5%, with a sweet-sour flavor and a slight aroma.
On March 4, 2001, researchers introduced this variety and planted it in the open field at the Tiangong High-Tech Agricultural Park. It sprouted on March 13, began flowering on March 21, reached full bloom on March 23, and young fruit was seen on April 9. The fruit development period is 70 days to 75 days. The flowers are single-petaled and pink. At full bloom, clusters and bunches of flowers cover the whole tree, layer upon layer, hiding the branches. The flowering period lasts as long as 14 days, and it has ornamental value as soon as the red color shows.
Before planting, the entire orchard was deep-plowed, the soil was improved, and base fertilizer was applied. After planting, two consecutive watering sessions were given to help the seedlings establish. From survival to harvest, the trees were watered 5 times and fertilized 4 times. An ultra-high fertilization technique was used. On the basis of heavy application of multi-element potassium sulfate, foliar fertilizer was sprayed multiple times, and the supply of fertilizer and water was sufficient. Manual pollination was carried out every day during the flowering period. The flower quantity is large and the fruit set rate is high, so flowers and fruits were thinned several times. Summer pruning only requires removing overly dense branches, making management very convenient. The leaves are large and dense, so before harvest, leaves need to be removed manually so the fruit can receive light and promote coloring.
Zhong'ai 33 peach has strong adaptability and is simple to cultivate and manage. There are relatively few pests and diseases, but attention should be paid to controlling scale insects and bacterial shot hole disease.
Based on observational research, it has been preliminarily determined that Zhong'ai 33 peach can be cultivated in protected facilities and in open-field dwarf high-density orchards, and can also be used for courtyard landscaping, and is especially suitable for the development of potted ornamental techniques.