 From 1949 to 1982, the
total fruit production registered a 640 % increase, of which apple reached
three million tons in 1983, 30 times that of 1949 (only 0. I million
tons).
Along with the rapid
development of fruit production, many specialized pomology institutes were
established, of which, four were national ones, 28 at provincial,
municipal or autonomous region level, 3 departments of horticulture of
agricultural universities and there were other 20 institutes at district
level. 49 agricultural universities set up 35 pomology section. According
to the statistics in 1979, there were 1963 pomologists working on fruit
tree research in the whole country.
During the last
thirty-five years, some good progresses were made in fruit tree research:
I. Germplasm
The exploration,
collection, conservation, research and utilization of fruit germplasm
resources started in the fifties. According to the incomplete statistics
of fruit germplasm collected and conserved by 15 institutes, 6812
accessions had been collected from China and foreign countries and totally
889.2 mu germplasm nurseries had been set up. In addition, some cultivars
have been collected and conserved by the provincial ( autonomous regions,
municipalities). The institutes which established the nurseries were doing
the research on the germplasm utilization while they are exploring and
collecting more genetic resources.
Through long tenn exploration, some nelected superior cultivars have been
found, such as Kuerhlei Xiangli (P. Sinkiangenses Yu) , Yellow flesh flat
peach at Kashi, Walnut fruiting biannually at Aksu, Xinjiang and Fufeng,
Shaanxi, continuously fruiting walnut at Ziyang County, Shaanxi, late
maturity peach in Qinling Mountain and Henan, extremely late peach at
Changyi County, Shandong, Xuetiao (red flesh peach) peach in Shandong and
Hebei, Jiefangzhong Loquat, continuously fruiting lichee at Huidong
County, Guangdong, red flesh lichee at Guangzhou, seedless clausena
lansium.
The Mountainous area
in southwest China is a rich citrus gennplasm center. In recent years, a
new species of papeda Hassk, Citrus honghoensis YLDL was found at Hongho
County, Yunnan Province. A new species of C. Medica, C. Medica L. var
yunnanensis S. Q. Ding was found at Binchuan County, Yunnan Province. A
new variety of C. Meidca, C. Medica L. var muliensis W.D. et Y., was found
at Muli Tibetan Autonomous County in Sichuan was discovered and C.
Grandis-junos, a natural hybrid of C. Grandis (L.) osbeck was found at
Xiushan County, Sichuan Province. Malus Xiaojinensis Cheng et Jiang, a new
species of Malus discovered at Xiaojin, Markang and Lixian counties in
Sichuan. Some natural fruit forests still exist in China, such as Malus
Sieversii Ledeb at Gongliu, Xinyuan, Huocheng and Yining in Xinjiang, wild
citrus at Dao County and natural inhabitants of Lichee at Wuzi Mountain
region, Hainan. According to the report made by the crop investigation
team to Tibet organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,
the cultivated and wild fruit trees are divided into 18 families, 33
genus, 106 species or varieties. It is worth noticing that the Tibetan
peach, (Prunus mira (Koehne)Kovet Kost) one of the wild fruit trees is
widely distributed in Tibet
II. Newly developed fruits
1. Kiwi fruit (Actinidia)
Actinidea chinensis is native to China. It is a newly developed precious
fruit. There are 52 genus in China. Research on Actinidia Chinensis has
been conducted and A. Arguta (Sieb.&Zucc.) Planch., A. Kolomikta (Rupr.
et Maxim.) Maxim., A. Melanandra French etc. have been listed as research
programs.
2. Hawthom, Grataegus Pinnatifida Bge
Hawthom originated from China has rich mineral nutrition, VC and fruit
acid which occupies an important part in medicine and food.
3. Rosa roxburghii Tratt
It is distributed in Guizhou,Yunnan, Sichuan etc. which contains very rich
VC and VP (841.63541.1 mg%g).
III. Breeding
Many superior cultivars have been developed through hybrid breeding,
seedling selection, bud mutation, introduction and purification and
rejuvenation.
1. Hybrid breeding:
The apple cultivars are yellow transparent etc., pears cultivars, peach
cultivars, grapes and citrus etc..
2. Seedling selection
Apple, pear, peach, grape, chestnut, date, loquat, citrus were selected.
3. Bud mutation
Pear, grape, citrus were selected.
4. Introduction
From 1972-1983, 1149 accessions of fruit germplasm resources had been
Introduced by the Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources and 231 accessions
of various fruit trees were offered to foreign institutions. Some of the
fruits such as citrus, mongo and grapes are well welcomed by consumers.
IV. Stocks
Qingdao Agricultural
Institute researched 16 stocks of six malus species for a long period of
time and characterized the resistance to drought, salt and alkalinity and
diseases, root development, graft compatibility and the fruiting habit.
The Botanical Garden,
Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences collected 15 types, 19
pyrus species to observe the morphorlogical characters of the fruit, seed
and seedlings and the gennination so as to lay the foundation for stock
selection and material characterization.
The pomology Institute
of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences compared the stocks of
Citrus aurantium L. during the period from 1952-1982, which includes 19
species and cultivars. The comparison described the effect of different
stocks on the growth, fruiting, yield, fruit quality and stress tolerance
in citrus.
For dwarf apple stock
breeding, through hybrid breeding, semi-dwarf stocks with cold tolerance
such as 63-2-19, 63-2-22, 65-4-6 and GM-256 stock were developed.
Dichotomanthus trislaniaecarpa kurg in Yunnan and Cotoneaster multiflorus
Bge in Shanxi were used as apple stocks. Those two does not belong to
apple species. If the incompatibility was not appeared when the grafting
was done, it would become the advanced experience in the world.
V. Cultural Practice
After extensive
investigation, the production regionalization of apple, pear, grape, peach
and citrus was formulated. Dwarf close planting is a trend in the
development of fruit tree production, many pomologists carried out close
planting experiment, in which the vigorous stock and dwarf stock were used
in apple, pear, peach, citrus and grape etc. In orchard fertilization, the
national chemical Trial Network suggested that the balanced fertilization
of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium use in apple orchard. Leaf analysis
was used to diagnose the mineral nutrition status in the tree, which used
as a guidance for scientific fertilization. The mineral deficiency such as
potassium, iron, zink and boron was also studied and related control
measures was taken.
Chemical flower and
fruit thining was adopted instead of traditional method. Growth regulator
was also applied on fruit trees. For instance Gibberellin treated seedless
grape, the fruit became bigger and the weight increased for 1-4 times.
Ethylene spraying on flat peach in autumn season prolonged the flowering
period for 3-4 days or even 7-11 days to reduce late frost damage.
Herbicides
application experiments were conducted in the orchard
VI. Storage
Along with the development
of fruit production, storage is becoming important. Rich experiences in
storage has been accumulated by the farmers, such as the cave in Yellow
Plateau in Northwest and ditch in Yantal district, Shandong Province,
traditional storage in north and central citrus growing areas. Pomologists
improved the structure and ventilation of different storage facilities.
The controlled atmosphere and preservatives were also used to improve
storage effect.
Growth regulators
was applied in fruit storage to prolong the storage. 10-20ppm gibberellin
was sprayed 15-30 days before the citrus fruit picking, which delayed the
peel structure decaying, dispearing of chlorophyll, carroten like
accumulation and the peel softening, indirectly control decaying, so that
the storage life could be prolonged.
VII. Tissue Culture
Tissue culture was
an up-and coming youngster in fruit research. Although it started late, it
progressed rapidly. The Chinese flowering crabapple, peach, pear, lichi,
loquat, banana, citrus etc. had been multiplied by meristem culture. The
virus free citrus stocks and seedlings were obtained after indicator plant
identification.
VIII. Others
Research on physiological
and biochemical index of citrus cold tolerance indicated that cold tolerance
is related to the bound water and free water in the stem, hydrogen peroxidase,
sugar content, cell membrane transparency. The research on apple and pear
indicated that the electric conductivity and electric resistance value
in the annual twig were the desirable index for characterization of cold
tolerance.
Cytology research
were initiated. Meiosis of microspore, mother cell and the morphological
index in 62 varieties and types of 6 families, 14 species and 35 races had
been identified.
IX. Prospect
In the past 35 years,
scientific achievements had been obtained. However, the research works
was conducted in unbalanced way, for instance very little research work
on cultural practices was undertaken and nothing was done in irrigation,
water saving and water retaining. Herbicides and growth regulators were
not used extensively
Thirty-Five Years of Research on Vegetable Crops
Main Achievements
Vegetables is the
main non-staple food necessary to people's daily life. After the foundation
of People's Republic of China, the Communist Party and the Government
pay much attention on vegetable production , make up and implement a series
of policies and measures for the development of vegetable production.
Some vegetable production centres have been built in the rural areas of
some large or middle-sized cities. The total vegetable production area
covers an area of more than 50 million mu, which is basically able to
provide 0.5 Kg fresh vegetable everyday per head in case of the continuous
increase of commercial vegetable consuming population.
Before the foundation
of the People's Republic of China, the study on vegetable science and
technology was very weak and undertaken only by a few technicians tight
budget and limited facilities. Along with the production development after
the foundation of the People's Republic of China, vegetable research institutes
(Departments) were set up in most of the provinces, cities autonomous
regions and some large cities. There have been eight institutes, 16 research
departments in provincial level, and 16 institutes, 50 departments (groups)
in county level. Besides, the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, a professional national vegetable specialized
institute was founded. Vegetable specially was set up in most of agricultural
colleges and universities, where students specialized in vegetable research
were trained. Working staff on vegetable study was increasing year by
year, and the research condition has also been improving. Cooperating
with farmers, vegetable technicians have gained great achievement and
made great contribution to the vegetable production and technology in
the past 3 5 years.
I. Germplasm Resources
With a long history
of agricultural industry, China processes rich germplasm resources and
is the originating Centre or second originating center for many vegetables.
After the foundation of the People's Republic of China, under the leadership
of the central government, with the support of the government and relevant
units, some investigation and sorting out on local varieties were conducted
in China, and "Chinese Improved Vegetable Varieties" was written and published
so that some improved local varieties could be extended and put into practice.
For instance, Hongsuiyan Cowpea, Wuyueman rape, Beijing teaselgourd, Ningyang
teaselgourd, Changchunmici cucumbers, etc., Jinzaosheng cabbage, Beijing
xiaobaikou, xiaoqingkou, Jinan xiaogen, Fushanbaotou Chinese cabbage,
Xinlimei, Yejihong, Xiangyabai, Weiqing turnips, Luoyang goutoujin, Hanzhongdongjiu,
Tianjin qingmiao Chinese Chives and basellaceac, balsam pear and towel
gourd etc. There can be endlessly listed.
After the 3 rd National
Vegetable Scientific Research Cooperation Conference held in 1979, study
on vegetable gerrnplasm resource resumed to conduct very quickly. More
than 16 thousands local germplasm accessions were collected and sorted
out, and some materials on the brink of ruin were saved. Through the investigation
in broader area such as Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet etc.,
many rare vegetables were discovered. For instance, Bana cucumber, Black
seed pumpkin, red eggplant, Kohlrabi etc. All these achievement has laid
a firm foundation for vegetable germplasm resource study in China. Besides,
some classification study was conducted to Chinese cabbage, south collard,
turnip, mustard and tuber crops. Some vegetables or vegetables with local
characteristics enjoying good reputation have been observed and identified
on their biological characteristics and economical characters. For instance,
Taihe Chinese toon, Taihu water shield, Zhangqun green onion, Fuling mustard,
Yangzhou Chinese artichoke, Huainan big-root mustard etc
II. Variety Introduction
In order to fully
make use of the enormous improved vegetable varieties materials in the
whole world, China conducted broad vegetable variety material exchange
with overseas. after the introduction, experiments and selection, many
varieties were applied to vegetable production. For instance, cauliflower
of Swaziland Snowball, Dutch Snowball, Yerfu, French Cauliflower, pea
of Bogairia, snoopy, Jiekebai Kohlrabi, sweet pepper of Zaofeng, Qieman,
Shijieyi, Tomato of Pink Sweet Flesh, Beijing 10, Beijing Early Red, Teloupike,
Waerte, Mansi, Qianglimishou, luochengl, Keqikemeite etc. Cabbage of early
maturity of Yellow Seedling, Beijing, French and English Kidney beans.
Seed exchange also
leads to the introduction of some improved breeding materials. For
instance, original tomato materials containing Tm. Tm2 Tm2 nv and Tm2 a
genes and with TMV resistance, and cucumber gynoecius lines. Along with
some wild tomato materials, these were applied to Chinese vegetable
breeding, and some improved varieties were released from it. At the same
time, China also provided a great amount of improved varieties to overseas
for exchange, which became valuable materials to vegetable breeding in
many countries and played an important role in it.
III. Breeding
With the development of vegetable science and technology study, a great
deal of new improved varieties were released from traditional breeding,
make use of hybridization vigor and manual induction etc., and the
significance of improved varieties in vegetable production was fully
displayed.
1. Traditional Breeding
Hybrid breeding was
conducted in large scale by individual scientific research institutes in
the whole country aiming at existing problems on local vegetable
production and varieties. Many varieties with different good
characteristics were selected and released. Among them, some varieties
were extended for a large area, and are still applied to production. These
@arieties include tomatoes, for example, Zaofen 2, Dahuang 1, Dafen 1,
Nongda 23, Lufen, Yangzhouhou, Yangzhou 24, Luohong, Yuanhong, Qiangfeng,
Lichun, Yuenong2 etc. Green beans for example "Zhijiang 28-2",
and Sweet Pepper for example Tongfenghao etc.
2. Utilization of Hybrid Vigor
Vegetable hybrid
FI possesses characters of uniformed characters, high yield or early maturity,
and being able to fully display the parents' valuable characteristics.
Selection and
breeding for FI hybrid started comparatively late in China. Since 1960s, a
few units have started studying the hybrid seed production technology, and
some combination were selected and bred. Short after that, some cabbage
and Chinese Cabbage selfincompatibility lines, male sterile AB lines,
turnip male sterile lines, cucumber gynaecomorph, tomato and pepper
sterilitas, incompatibility lines were bred and released. Besides,
emasculation by chemicals and technology of artificial hybrid seed
production were studied. These works created favorable conditions for the
production of FI hybrid in large scale in China, for the reduction of seed
production costs, and for the improvement of seed quality, and filled in
gaps in this aspect. A large amount of improved FI hybrids with good
quality were successfully selected and bred by making use of the
above-mentioned selected lines, for instance, cabbage Jingfeng 1, Baochun,
Qingfeng, Yuanchun, Wanfeng, Xiaguang, Xinpingtou, Chunqiudafeng, Jinzao2
etc, Chinese Cabbage hybrid Shuangqing 156, Qinghuai 169, Beijing 106,
Beijing 100, Xiaoza 8, Shangdong 4, Qingzaizhongfeng, Qingza 4, Liushizao,
Jiza etc., cucumber hybrid Changqing, Xlaqing, Jlngxu, Longzahuang,
Zhongnong I 101 etc., dwarf cabbage hybrid, dwarf red tomato Puhong,
Zhehong, Xianghong, Yuhong, Jiali etc., sweet pepper Shuangfeng, Tianza,
snake eggplant etc. According to the incomplete statistics, among 20 kinds
of vegetables, more than 400 improved Fl hybrid vegetable varieties have
been bred and released, and quickly been extended and applied to practical
production. The total extension area covers an area of three million mu.
3. Breeding for Disease Resistance
Along with the
continuous cropping of vegetable production bases and some changes in
ecological condition, some vegetable diseases began to be brought into
being. Aiming at solving these problems, some institutes conducted and
developed crop disease resistance breeding, and achieved some preliminary
results. For instance, cucumber Jinyan 2-7, are of high resistance to
downy mildew and powdery mildew and tomato varieties of concurrent
resistance to blight, Sukang 1-3, Qianghui and Xianfeng are resistant to
TMV, some Shanghai fresh vegetable varieties with disease resistance and
cucumber Xinong 58 etc.
4. Other Means of Breeding
Some institutes developed
vegetable polyploid breeding and released polyploid eggplants, sweet melons,
turnips, cucumbers and tomatoes etc. Cabbage No.9 and turnip Qingfu 1,
Qingfu 2 were released by utilizing radiation breeding method.
According to statistics,
among 23 major vegetables all over China, more than 1000 new varieties,
including some varieties without being popularization, excluding water
melons and sweet melons, were released through introduction, selection,
breeding, utilization of hybrid vigor and artificial mutation.
Major vegetable
varieties in China were renewed for two to three times. The seed
multiplication of improved varieties is strengthened. The country wide
regional experiments for new varieties of Chinese Cabbage, tomato, cabbage
and cucumbers are also started.
IV. Cultivation
In consequence of
the long vegetable cultivation history of China, some cultivation
technology with Chinese characteristics have been formulated from the long
period of production practice. The technology was broadly extended and
applied in practical production after it was carefully investigated and
summarized. For instance, high yield technology for Chinese cabbage,
tomato, Benincada hispidas (wax gourd), cucumber, garlic and cowpeas etc.,
cultivation technology for vegetable early maturity and cultivation
technology for protected fields etc. In the last decade, some important
problems have been concentrated and studied under the unitary cooperation
plan, and valuable results were achieved.
1. Plastic Tunnel Cultivation
A set of
cultivation management technology for the increase of tunnel yield and
economic effect has been studied and achieved. fruit vegetables such as
tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and eggplants and some vegetables with
cold tolerance can be brought into market 20 days to two months earlier,
which ease the vegetable supply shortage situation in April in North
China, and it also renewed the top yield record with 20 tons per mu for
cucumber and 12.5 tons per mu for tomatoes. tunnel production developed so
quickly that some south areas alsoadopted this technology in recent years,
and the adoption area has reached 100,000 mu with larger range of
utilization.
2. Mulching Technology
After the mulching
technology was introduced from Japan in 1978, some research work has been
started on studying and manufacturing mulch film and mulch-laying machine.
the result proved that after the covering in early spring, vegetables
could grow mature I 0 to 20 days early with 20% - 100% yield increasing.
Besides, it also possesses advantages as saving water, saving labor,
saving fertilizer, preventing waterlogging, tolerance to coldness, and
avoiding alkali. So far, there has been more than 30 kinds of mulching
vegetables whose planting area has reached more than 720, 000 mu.
3. Industrial Seedling Growth Technology
The industrial seedling
growth coordination plan was drafted in 1979 in the third National Vegetable
Scientific and Research Coordination meeting, and it was decided to study
and reform the seedling growth technology. The five year experimental
outlets indicated that the best way is to lay underground heating lines
in plastic tunnels or glasshouses to heat the soul so that to control
the soil temperature 30 centigrade in daytime and 25 centigrade at night
in early period, and 25 centigrade in daytime 18 centigrade at night in
late period, by which means, seedling period could be shortened one third.
This technology was demonstrated and extended in more than ten provinces
and municipalities.
V. Tissue Culture
Tissue culture research
made great progress in the last ten years. Haploid plants have been successfully
produced from the culture of isolated anther and their progeny have been
obtained. The list includes the following genera: eggplant, tomato, Chinese
Cabbage, hot pepper and sweet pepper. +++The anther cultured plants of
eggplant were also grown from the embryoid successfully in China for the
first time. Anther cultured plants were also induced from the nutritional
organ explants, the young sprouts of garlic, potato stem tips, Lilly scale,
flower tips of daylily, the young embryos of Chinese cabbage, cabbage,
hot pepper and tomato and triploid watermelon culture+++. This is of great
significance to the improvement of breeding efficiency, speeding up seed
multiplication, developing virus-free clone regeneration, conserving valuable
materials and overcoming the sterility of hybrid. Besides, protoplasm
culture of cucumber, tomato and carrot also make some progress. Remarkable
evaluation for the above-mentioned achievements are granted by the international
communities.
VI. Storage for Retaining Freshness
Research on storage
for retaining freshness also made some progress in recent years. Keeping
in cold storage of zero centigrade, spinach, lettuces, cauliflower's covered
with plastic bags can be kept for one to three months. Fast frozen storage
for spinach, Chinese cabbages, kidney beans, hot peppers, wild rice stems,
cucumbers, celery, mushrooms, cauliflower, heart of cabbages and tomatoes
can be industrially produced. The after-ripening of tomatoes, sweet peppers
and hot peppers and young garlic shoots could be checked by treating them
with gamma -ray. Bolting and taking adventitious roots of Chinese cabbages,
turnips and carrots could be checked with some treatment to kidney beans
during its storage. After ripening and turning red of tomatoes and sweet
peppers could be checked by storing with air conditioning. Sprouting of
onion, potatoes and garlic could be checked by spraying maleic hydrazide.
Besides, it was also studied that cucumbers would suffer some damage caused
by low temperature, and after the cold damage, the permeability of cell
membrane is aggrandized. This study research provided basis for improving
vegetable storage conditions.
VII. Plant Protection
On the basis of
prior research work of the rules of diseases and pest damage and its
protection, some study and identification of some toxins and etiology, for
example tobacco mosaic virus for tomatoes, hot peppers and eggplants,
cucumber mosaic virus, Chinese cabbage and tumip mosaic virus, cucumber
blight, and black rot for Chinese cabbage etc., and their causative
conditions. In order to idcntify the disease resistance characteristics of
vegetable varieties, some new aerological methods such as Enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assays, agar double diffusion technique, latex agglutination
test, osmophoresis technique etc. and some blight identification methods
such as inoculating embryonic foot with suspension were utilized to speed
up the identification process and improve its accurate. Comprehensive
prevention and control of plant diseases and elimination of pests have
achieved remarkable results. Downy mildew and blight in tunnels were
effectively prevented and controlled by controlling the ecological
conditions in tunnels, grafting and utilizing chemicals. The glasshouse
white fly was prevented and controlled by comprehensive measures including
encarsia Formosa, physical and chemical methods. Cabbage caterpillars and
diamondback moth could be controlled by utilizing particle viruses. These
techniques have been extended and applied in practical production. It also
achieved remarkable results on preventing tobacco mosaic virus by
utilizing weak lines of plant viruses, on keeping aphids away by using
silver gray covers which reflects light, and on reducing virus damage, and
on proper selection and utilization of herbicide.
VIII. Other Achievements
Deep study on genetic
performance and genetic regulations of the important economic characteristics
of some major vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, turnips, cabbages and
tomatoes were studied and developed. Peroxidase isodynamic enzyme analysis
was utilized in tomato and Chinese cabbage F I hybrid. The sterile lines
of Chinese cabbage and cabbage with sterile cytoplasm of mustard, tumip,
and rutabaga were obtained by hybridization transformation. It possesses
stable sterility and materials of different economic characteristics types
are available. This achievement lays foundation for utilizing Chinese
cabbage and cabbage male sterile lines to produce F I hybrids.
Conceming vegetable
cytological research, the observation and analysis to the caryotype and
Giemsa Belt type of daylily started and developed. Observation to meiosis
of chromosomes of Hanzhongdongjiu has proved that it is natural tetraploid.
These achievements provided some valuable reference for the investigation
and utilization of resources, and for the vegetable breeding.
The research result
on the control effect of hormone to gender expression of cucumber and
gourd indicates that ethrel phosphoric acid can increase the amount of
female flower, but it requires a period of time. Gibberellin can increase
the amount of male flowers, and it also affects the activity of peroxidase
on meristem tissue.
Research on the growth,
development and organ formation of the heart of cabbages, on the growing
circulation of white gourd and tomato, as well as on the organ formation
of garlic would provide scientific basis on outside expression and inside
skeleton for making up reasonable cultivation technology.
IX. Conclusion
It can be proved
from the incomplete information mentioned above that Chinese vegetable
scientists and researchers have done a great deal of work in the past
35 years. However, it should also be aware that some problems still exist.
For instance, the vegetable production supply is not balanced enough,
some vegetables do not yield highly enough, the quality of vegetables
still leaves much to be desired, the prevention and control of diseases
and pests is not fully satisfactory, variety with disease resistance,
high yield and good quality is still short in need, cultivation technology
for protected field, research on germplasm resources, research on storage
and processing is still waiting to be strengthened. Vegetable scientists
will make further contributions to meet people's daily increasing demand
in people's daily life.
Main Achievements in Ornamental Plants:
35 Years Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China.
Ornamental horticulture
is to study the classification, growth habit, propagation, culture, application,
breeding, production, management, pot gardening, flower garden, park,
landscape planning and design, management of flowers, woody plants, turf-grass,
gross layers etc. Before 1949, landscape construction was insignificant
to mention and the scientific achievements was scarcely made. However,
since the founding of the People's Republic of China, research on traditional
famous flowers (plum flower, tree-peony camellia, azalea, sweet osmanthus,
orchid, chrysanthemum, peony, narcissus and lotus flower) was carried
out. The native place, cultural history, classification, introduction
and domestication of plum flower were systematically explored. A system
of classification of Chinese Plum cultivars was established. The China
Plum Flower Research Center was established at Wuhan, Hubei, and other
two subcenters were also established one at Wuxi, Jiangsu and another
one at Chengdu, Sichuan. The research on germplasm resources, wide crossing
classification, instruction and domestication etc. were explored. A lot
of research work were conducted in tree-peony such as tree-peony taxonomy,
books entitle " Tree-peony and Peony Flower Shape Classification" 1981,
" Caozhou Tree-peony" 1959, " Heze Tree-peony" 1980 etc. Were published
one after another. In recent years, the exploration of wide crossing,
tissue culture, cytology of treepeony in Luoyang, Heze and Beijing was
conducted.
The achievements
in camellia gave the presentation of cultivar sortment of camellia reticulate
and the brief history, growth habit, culture and cultivar description
and classification of Japanese Camellia. Some books and papers entitled
" Pictorial Handbook of Yunnan Camellia Reticulata", " Yunnan Camellia
Reticulata", " Camellia", " Camellia and Its Flora Research" etc. were
published. The classification system of rose bay was firstly raised our
by the Chinese Scientists and 297 varieties native to China were characterized.
Research in chrysanthemum included chrysanthemum origin, breeding, cytology
research, tissue culture. Research on lotus flower classification, hybrid
breeding (including wide crossing, multiploid breeding, chromosome variation
etc.), orchard germplasm resources classification, tissue culture cytology
and hybrid breeding were initiated. Research on peony, narcissus, sweat
osmanthus etc. was undertaken.
After the founding
of the People's Republic of China, florists paid much attention to the
germplasm resources of ornamental plants. Apart from the collection, sortment
and classification of traditional famous flowers cultivars, some achievements
was obtained in the collection and introduction of lily, orange daylily,
common dahlia, common crapemyrtle, willowleaf spirae, old-fashioned weigela,
mockorange etc. The wild ornamental plants germplasm resources exploration
and introduction were carried out in Qinling Mountain (Shaanxi and Gansu),
Tianmu Mountain (Zhejiang), Jigong Mountain (Henan), Baihua Mountain (Beijing),
Changbai Mountain (Jilin), Shennongjia (Hubei), Dinghushan (Guangdong),
Lushan Mountain (Jiangxi), Huangshan (Anhui), Yunnan etc.
The woody plants
investigation and planning started after liberation and continued in the
following years.
Accomplishments in
physiology and culture, propagation, pot gardening was achieved, such
as seed viability, germination physiology, fast seedling raising of woody
plants, experiment in new rose stock, sexual propagation of sago, pot
gardening etc.
Omamental plants
breeding, progress was made in breeding of plum flower, orchid,
chrysanthemum, lotus flowers and others such as hybrid lily, multiploid
orange daylily, rose, setose asparagus, crocus, Begonia semperflorens Link
et Otto, Pawlonia elongata, chivia nobilis etc. In radiation breeding,
India canna, common snapdragon, London plane-tree were treated with 60
Co-r and some of the treated materials were mutated.
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