Identification, creation and utilization of the germplasm resources of kiwifruit

Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (WBG, CAS), has investigated, collected, and utilized kiwifruit resources since 1978. After nearly 44 years of effort, it has established the largest and most genetically diverse repository of kiwifruit resources in the world. This repository contains over 1400 germplasm resources, including 66 species and subspecies, excellent kiwifruit cultivars and lines. Preserved germplasm resources are characterized by their genetic diversity in fruit nutritional quality, resistance, and other excellent agronomic traits. Using these resources and various innovative breeding methods, such as interspecific-, intraspecific-hybridization and seed selection, we have bred 45 new cultivars or lines. One successful example is the red-fleshed cultivar ‘Donghong’, which exhibits excellent storage resistance, long shelf life, and high resistance to soft rot. ‘Donghong’ has been commercialised worldwide, winning the 2019 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) gold medal in Berlin.