Research project on the peach germplasm resource exploration and development of new cultivar recently passed the appraisal of MOA. According to the expert panel, after three decades of systematic researches, this achievement marked a breakthrough in the peach germplasm evaluation and appraisal.

Led by Dr WANG Li-rong and Dr WANG Zhi-qiang from Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of CAAS, this project made morphological, physiological, cellular and molecular analysis of genetic biodiversity of peach, developed 33 molecular markers, established 237 molecular identifications, and developed standard map of peach cultivars. This research has laid a solid foundation for germplasm resource exploration and breeding of peach.

This research has also created the technology roadmap for parent selection. Using sexual hybridization, embryo rescue, and molecular marker-assisted selection, this project developed 19 new peach cultivars with high quality and broad adaptability which can be classified into four series (white-flesh nectarine, yellow-flesh nectarine, common peach and ornamental peach).

In 2012, extension area of this new peach cultivars got to 144 million or 1/5 of the total peach planting area in China.