What is the current situation of China’s apple rootstock resources?

my country’s apple production has always attached great importance to the selection of rootstocks. At each stage and in each region, different rootstocks are selected according to different requirements and problems in production. For example, in the northeastern region of my country, Shantengzi (strong cold resistance) is often used as rootstock in apple production, and Xifu Begonia is also used as apple rootstock in some areas. Before the 1950s in North China, S. striata was mostly used as apple rootstock. Due to the saline-alkali and calcareous nature of the soil and the tendency of iron-deficiency yellow leaf disease to occur when using Shandingzi as rootstock, Xifu Begonia is currently commonly used as rootstock. The rootstocks used in the northwest include Catalpa japonica, Xifu Begonia or Shandingzi.

Mr. Yang Jin of the Qingdao Agricultural Science Research Institute of Shandong Province published "my country's Apple Rootstocks" in 1990 based on his years of research and a review of the research results and scientific and technological information on apple rootstock resources in various parts of the country after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The book "Resources" discusses in detail the distribution of apple rootstock resources in my country, the botanical morphological characteristics of different rootstock tree species, and the biological characteristics of the main apple rootstock types. It also puts forward opinions on the regional utilization of apple rootstocks, which is compiled into Color chart of main apple rootstocks is a rare reference monograph on apple rootstocks.

This section intends to partially quote the information in Mr. Yang Jin’s book and provide a summary of my country’s apple rootstock resources.

(1) Distribution overview of Apple rootstock resources

Table 3-1-2 lists the 12 widely distributed species of Apple rootstock resources in my country. You can also see It was found that the three provinces with the largest distribution of apple rootstock resources are Shaanxi, Gansu and Sichuan, which is consistent with Li Yunong’s diagram of the distribution of Malus plants in my country.

Table 3-1-2 Distribution of major apple rootstock resources in my country

Note: 1. * indicates the amount of seeds produced; of which **** is extremely large (>2500kg), Maximum (>500kg), **Medium (>50kg), Minimum (<50kg).

2. Xinjiang wild apples, including Sewi apples and Kyrgyz apples.

(2) Malus rootstock and its main types

1. Malus baccata (L.) Borkh

>Arbor. The trunk is smooth and not easy to crack. New shoots are hairless. The leaves are oval, slightly pointed at the apex, wedge-shaped at the base, and have finely serrated edges; young leaves have stipules, and the cotyledons fall off when they grow up. The flowers are white, with 5 or 4 styles and hairs at the base. The fruit is nearly spherical, with a diameter of 0.8-1.0cm. The mature fruit is red or yellow, the sepals fall off, and the fruit stalk is 3-4cm long. The fruits mature in mid-to-late September, and the seed emergence rate is 4.4%. There are few seeds and the thousand-seed weight is 6.7g.

There are many variations and variations of mountain stators. Gu Mo discovered that there are two varieties of mountain stators in central northeast my country: Malus baccata var. latifolis Skv. and M. baccata var. silvatica Skv. Three variants of stators. The Changli Fruit Tree Research Institute of the Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry pointed out in the "Hebei Province Apple Chronicles" published in 1986 that there are 22 types of mountain stator variation distributed in Hebei. The Fruit Tree Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences preserves the variant types of mountain stators such as the green-stemmed red fruit mountain stator, the purple-stemmed purple fruit mountain stator, the daguoshan stator, the Yanbei mountain stator and the salt-tolerant mountain stator.

Due to the wide distribution range of Shandingzi in my country, Shandingzi has long been adapted to the natural and terroir conditions of various places and formed many ecological types, such as Northeastern Mountain stinging, Qinyuan Mountain stinging, and Huanglongshan stinging etc.

2.Malus manchurica (Msxim) Kom.

Arbor. The state of the branches and leaves is similar to that of Shandingzi, but the leaf edges have fine and blunt serrations, and the base is nearly full. The fruit is larger and oval or obovate. The most obvious difference in morphology between this species and A. striata is that there are sparse hairs on the outside of the petiole, veins, pedicel and calyx tube, except for the thin and blunt leaf margin and the larger and oval fruit shape.

In 1956, Gu Mo pointed out in "Survey of Fruit Tree Resources in Central Northeast China" that there is a variant of this species in central Northeast China, namely Malus manchurica var.savitehi Skv.

3. Lijiang Mountain stator

[Malus rockii Rehd.]

A tree with long needle-like branches and drooping branches. The leaves are elliptical, apex acuminate, and the margins have unequal serrations. Flowers white, styles 4-5. The fruit is spherical, about 1cm in diameter, red or purple in color, the sepals fall off, and the fruit stalk is 2.5-4.0cm long. The fruit matures in 10-11 months, and the seeding rate is 1%. The seeds are small, with a thousand-grain weight of 8.0g.

There are many types of Lijiang mountain stators. Pan Deming et al.’s investigation found that the Lijiang mountain stators in northwest Yunnan in my country include pear-shaped fruit mountain stators, oblong mountain stators, small fruit-shaped mountain stators, oblate round mountain stators, short-handled mountain stators, Wenhai mountain stators and Baisha mountain stators. The review by Li Shirong and others believes that among the Lijiang mountain stators distributed in Yunnan, four main types are outstanding: Lijiang Dashan stator, Lijiang Xiaoshan stator, Weixi Xiaohaitang and Jiuzihaishan stator.

In the "Investigation Collection of Crop Variety Resources in Tibet" published in 1987, Zong Xuepu and others wrote that the Lijiang mountain stoma in Tibet is widely distributed and has many types, among which the Linzhi mountain stoma has the characteristics of apomixis.

4. Malus sikkinensis

[Malus sikkinensis (Hook.f.) Koehne]

Small tree with thorn-like branches on the old branches. The leaf margins are sharply serrated, and the backs of the leaves are sparsely pubescent. Calyx tube and sepals are covered with pubescence. Flowers white, styles 5. The fruit is pear-shaped or nearly spherical, with a diameter of 1.3-1.8cm. The background color of the fruit is yellow, the shaded side is purple-red, there are white fruit spots, the sepals are off, and the fruit stalk is 2.0-2.5cm long. The fruit matures from October to November.

The investigation by Pan Deming et al. found that the main types of Sikkim crabapples include Deqin crabapple, Dashalingguo, Wuludi crabapple, Wenhai crabapple and Shalingguo.

5. Hubei Begonia

[Malus hupehensis (Pamp) Rehd.]

Tree with hard branches. The leaves are oval or oblong, with sharp serrated edges and purple-red petioles. Flowers white, styles 3-4. The fruit is spherical or nearly spherical, with a diameter of about 1cm. The fruit is red or yellow in color, with a blush on the fruit surface, and the sepals fall off. The fruit stalk is 2.5-5.0cm long. The fruits mature in early October, and the seed emergence rate is 2%.

A survey by the Fruit Tree and Tea Research Institute of the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences showed that there are two main types of Hubei crabapples in Hubei: large-leaf type and small-leaf type. Yang Jin and others found that there are two types of Hubei crabapples in Shandong: Pingyi sweet tea and Taishan crabapples.

In addition, there are many ecological types of Hubei crabapples, such as Shiping wild crabapple, Lushan wild crabapple, Puhong crabapple and so on.

6. Malus halliana Koehne

[Malus halliana Koehne]

Arbor. The leaves are leathery, oval to oval in shape, and have shallow and inwardly curved blunt serrations on the leaf margins. The flowers are light red, mostly double. The pedicels are slender and the flowers are drooping, hence the name. The styles are 3-5 and hairy. The fruit is oval or elliptical, with a diameter of 0.3-0.7cm, a purple-red color, and the sepals fall off. The fruit matures from September to October. The seeds are larger, with a thousand-grain weight of about 13.0g.

A survey by the Fruit Tree Research Institute of the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences showed that there are four types of Begonia in Hexi.

7. Xiaojin Begonia

[Malus xiaojinensis Cheng et Jiang]

Arbor. The leaves have deep clefts, and the leaves are swept in the buds. The leaves are oval in shape and have thick and blunt serrated edges. Flowers white, styles 3-5. The fruit is oval or obovate, with a diameter of 1.2cm, the sepals fall off, and the fruit stalk is 2.2-3.1cm long. The fruit matures from October to November. The seeds are larger, with a thousand-grain weight of about 12.5g.

8. Apple

[Malus pumila Miller]

The variation is large, ranging from trees to shrubs. The leaf shape is broadly elliptical to oval, without cracks, and the leaf margins have blunt or sharp serrations. The fruit is round, oblong or conical, with persistent sepals. There are gray-white pubescence on the young leaves, new shoots and pedicels.

There are four varieties of apples, namely Taosheng apples, Paradise apples, red-fleshed apples and weeping apples. There are many deformations, and almost all modern apple cultivars are evolved and cultivated from this species.

9. Xinjiang Wild Apple

[Malus sieversii (Ledeb) Roem.]

Tree with smooth trunk. The leaves are oval or obovate, with blunt serrations on the edges, and the backs of the leaves are covered with downy hairs. Flowers pink. The fruit is round, oblate or conical, with a diameter of 2.5-6.0cm. The fruit matures from July to September, and the seed emergence rate is 1%-2%. The seeds are larger, with a thousand-grain weight of 24g.

There are many types of this. In 1956, a survey by the Xinjiang Department of Agriculture concluded that there were at least five types: long red fruit, red fruit, yellow fruit, white fruit and green fruit, and more need further investigation.

10. Malus asiatica Nakai.

(Malus asiatica Nakai.)

Tree. The leaves are membranous, elliptical or obovate in shape, and have sharp serrated edges. Flowers are light red, styles 4-5. The fruit is oblate or nearly spherical, with a diameter of 4-5cm. The background color of the fruit is yellow with red spots. The sepals are persistent and raised around them. The fruits are larger and the seeding rate is low.

The main types include Maojian Huahong, Dwarf Huahong, etc.

11. Malus prunifolia

[Malus prunifolia (Willd) Borkh.]

A tree or small tree with a smooth trunk. The leaves are oval or obovate in shape, and the leaf margins are sharply serrated or tooth-like. Flowers white, styles 5. The fruit is round or oval, with a diameter of 2.0-2.5cm, red or yellow, with a slender stalk, a persistent calyx and a raised calyx depression. The fruits mature in mid-to-late August, and the seed emergence rate is 1%. The seeds are larger, with a thousand-grain weight of 17-20g.

There are many types of this. There are 13 types of catalpa in northwest my country, and there are 2 types: red fruit type and yellow fruit type in Shandong, including the famous Laoshan catalpa fruit and Laiwu tea fruit, Jilin Huang Begonia, Shanxi Fenyang Red Ringo, Hebei Hot Roller and Flat Top Begonia. etc.

In addition, there are many ecological types, such as Qinghai Catalpa, Fuping Catalpa, Yantai Shaguo, Aquhaihong, Baodehaihong, etc.

12. Begonia flower

[Malus spectabilis (Ait) Borkh.]

Small tree. The leaves are elliptical or obovate in shape, shiny, and have inwardly curved fine serrations on the edges. Flowers are pink, semi-double, with 4-5 styles. The fruit is round, 20cm in diameter, yellow in color, almost sessile, with thick and raised stem base and persistent sepals.

13. Begonia xifu

〔Malus micromalus Makino.〕

Small tree with cracks in the bark. The leaves are leathery, oblong or oval in shape, and have sharply serrated edges. The flowers are light red or white, with 5 styles and 4 in between. The fruit is oblate or round, with a diameter of 1.0-1.5cm, and a red color. The sepals generally fall off, and a few persist. The fruits mature in early to mid-October, and the seed emergence rate is 0.7%-0.9%. The seeds are large, with a thousand-seed weight of 20-30g.

It is widely distributed in my country and has many types and ecological types. The main types and ecotypes of this species include Begonia balenga, Flat-top flower red, Flat red Begonia and Haihong in Hebei, Laiwu Nanyan and Ringo in Qingzhou City in Shandong, Guohong, Guohuang and Catalpa japonica in Shaanxi, and Round-shaped crabapple in Shanxi. Ringo, Ma'nan Ringo, Catalpa and Fuguo, Inner Mongolia's Balengzi, Haihongzi, Lengguozi, Haihonghehongguo, Huangguo Ringo, etc.

14. Three-leaf crabapple

[Malus sieboldii (Regel) Rehd.]

There are many variations, including trees, small trees and shrubs. The leaves are elliptical or oval, with sharp or incurved serrations on the leaf margins. The flowers are white or pale pink, with 4 styles and 5 intersperses. The fruit is spherical, 6-8mm in diameter, yellow or red in color, and the sepals fall off. The fruits mature in early to mid-October, and the seed emergence rate is 2.5%. The seeds are smaller, with a thousand-grain weight of 8.2-8.7g.

The main types include Red Clover and Yellow Clover in Shandong, Catalonia mosaicum in Shaanxi, Ligustrum mosaic in Gansu, Mosaic crabapple in Zhejiang, and Weixi Sanleaf and Begonia in Yunnan. Zhenxiong Sanye Begonia and others.

15. Longdong Begonia

[Malus kansuensis (Batal) Schneid.]

Shrub or small tree. The leaves are oval, with 3-5 lobes, the leaf margins are sharply serrated, and the veins and petioles are purple-red. Flowers white, styles 3-5. The fruit is oval or obovate, with a diameter of 1.0-1.5cm, and a yellow-red color. The sepals fall off and are persistent in between. The fruits mature in mid-to-late September. The seeds are small, with a thousand-grain weight of 8.0g.

The main types include hairless Begonia longtungensis, Glossy leaf Begonia etc.

16. Hawthorn crabapple

[Malus komarovii (Sarg) Rehd.]

Small tree. The leaves are 5-lobed and deep. Flowers white, styles 3-4. The fruit is round, red in color, and the sepals are persistent or falling off.

17. Malus toringodes (Rend) Hughes

[Malus toringodes (Rend) Hughes]

Shrubs or small trees. The leaves are oval or oblong, but vary greatly, and the leaf edges are serrated and blunt. The flowers are white, with 3 styles, 4-5 in between. The fruit is obovate or oblong, with a diameter of 1.0-1.2cm. The fruit is yellow in color, with redness, no stone cells, sessile depressions, and the sepals fall off.

The main variants include Ya'an variant, Wushan variant and Tibetan variant Haitang. In 1976, the Horticulture Research Institute of the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences reported four types of Begonia variabilis, namely gray-green Dabaishizao, yellow-green Dabaishizao, Diaoshizao and Round-stone jujube.

18. Malus transitoria (Batal) Schneid.

Shrubs or small trees. The leaves are oval to broadly oval, with 3-5 deep lobes. The leaves are pubescent and the leaf margins are unevenly serrated. Flowers white, styles 4-5. The fruit is nearly spherical or oblong, with a diameter of 0.8-1.1cm. The fruit is yellow-green in color, with a blush, sessile, and the sepals fall off. The fruits mature in early to mid-October. The seeds are small, with a thousand-grain weight of 5.4-8.3g.

The main types of Mosaic Begonia include Shaanxi's Mosaic Pear, Qinghai's Mosaic Begonia, Tibet's Long-fruited Mosaic and Round-fruited Begonia, Gansu's Shizao, Baishizao, and Wild Begonia. Catalpa japonica and madhurian pear etc.

19. Western Shu Begonia

[Malus prattii (Hemsl) Schneid.]

Tree. The leaves are oval, elliptical to long oval, with finely serrated edges. Flowers white, styles 4-5. The fruit is ovoid or nearly spherical, with a diameter of 1.0-1.5cm, red or yellow color, and persistent sepals.

20. Cangjiang Begonia

[Malus ombrophila Hand-Zazz.]

Arbor. The leaves are oval, with sharply serrated edges. Flowers white, styles 3-5. The fruit is nearly spherical, 1.5-2.0cm in diameter, red, with persistent sepals.

21. Malus honanensis Rehd.

[Malus honanensis Rehd.]

Shrubs or small trees with smooth trunks. The leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, with many and shallow lobes, and the leaf margins have blunt or sharp serrations. Flowers white, styles 3-4. The fruit is spherical or nearly spherical, with a diameter of 0.8-1.0cm, a yellow-red or reddish-purple color, and persistent sepals. The fruits mature in mid-September. The seeds are larger, with a thousand-grain weight of 15.0-16.2g.

The main types include Wuxiang Begonia from Shanxi.

22. Dianchi Begonia

[Malus yunnanensis (Franch) Schneid.]

Tree with smooth bark. The leaves are round or broadly oval, with many and shallow lobes, and the leaf margins are serrated and sharp. Flowers white, styles 5. The fruit is spherical, 1.0-1.5cm in diameter, red in color, slightly pubescent on the fruit surface, with dense and obvious fruit spots, and persistent sepals. The fruit matures from October to November. The seeds are larger, with a thousand-grain weight of 12.1-14.5g.

The main types of Dianchi Begonia include Shanhuahong from Nanjiang, Sichuan.

23. Taiwan Ringo

[Malus formosana Kawak.et Koidz.]

Arbor. The leaves are oblong-ovate to oval-lanceolate, with sharp and irregular serrated edges. Flowers yellow-white, styles 4-5. The fruit is spherical, 3-5cm in diameter, with persistent calyx.

24. Ringo

[Malus melliana (Kawak.et Koidz) Rehd.]

Shrubs or small trees. The leaves are elliptical to ovate-elliptic, with blunt serrated edges. Pollen white, styles 5. The fruit is spherical, with a diameter of 1.5-2.5cm and persistent sepals.

(3) Other apple rootstocks and apple rootstocks of different genera

The following plant resources can be used or tried as apple rootstocks.

1. Malus soulardii Britt.

[Malus soulardii Britt.]

A cultivated species introduced from abroad. Trees with smooth trunks. Flowers white, styles 5. The fruit is oblate, with a longitudinal diameter of 2.6-3.0cm and a transverse diameter of 2.0-2.4cm. The fruit is rich in powder, yellow-green in color, with a blush or clouds on the sunny side, and a closed calyx. The fruit matures in September, the seed emergence rate is 0.4%, the seeds are large, and the thousand-seed weight is 20.1g.

2. Jinxian Mountain Stator

[Malus jinxianensis J.Q.Deng et J.Y.Hong]

Deng Jiaqi and Hong Jianyuan reported in 1987 that a similar mountain was found in Jinxian, Liaoning Dingzi, but it is a new species of the genus Apple of the Shandingzi family, and was named Jinxian Shandingzi.

Arbor. The leaves are elliptical to ovate, rarely nearly round, with finely serrated edges, sometimes sharp and hook-shaped or downwardly curved. Pollen white, styles 3-4. The fruit is obovoid, about 1cm in diameter, purple-red in color, and has a large calyx mark. The fruit ripening period is early October.

3. Daocheng Begonia

[Malus daochengensis C.L.Li]

In 1989, Li Chaoluan reported the discovery of a new species of Malus in Daocheng, Sichuan, named Daocheng Begonia. , belongs to the stator family of the true apple group, and is the only species in this family whose plants are covered with downy hairs so far.

Arbor. The leaves are elliptical-lanceolate or elliptical, with serrated and blunt edges. Flowers white, tinged with pink, styles 5. The fruit is pear-shaped or oblong-ovate, with a longitudinal diameter of 1.2-1.8cm and a transverse diameter of 1-1.5cm. The sepals are off.

4. Among other apple genus used as rootstocks, there are Shizong Gungu produced in Shizong and Luoping areas of Yunnan and Cherry Leaf Begonia in northern Zhejiang. It has not yet been determined whether it is a new species. , please refer to the relevant information when necessary.