Recently, scientists from Wuhan Botanical Garden, CAS reported their latest results in kiwifruit molecular breeding in Euphytica (2010, 175: 133–143), an international journal covering the theoretical and applied aspects of plant breeding. The title of the paper is Vitamin C, flower color and ploidy variation of hybrids from a ploidy-unbalanced Actinidia interspecific cross and SSR characterization. It was chosen as the cover story because of the importance contribution in kiwifruit molecular breeding. This studies were conducted by Lei Zhang,  PhD Candidates supervised by Prof. Hongwen Huang and Associate Prof. Yanchang Wang from Laboratory of Plant Conservation genetics of Wuhan Botanical Garden, CAS.

In their studies, an introgression strategy of ploidy-unbalanced/ interspecific cross was used to introduce elite traits of Wild Kiwifruit to the current cultivars. The phenotypic analysis showed that the vitamin C content of the hybrid population leaves has a mid-parent heterosis. The flower color in the progeny tended to be intermediate types. However, most progenies had red flowers which are similar to their diploid parent. Flow cytometry analysis and molecular marker characterization suggested that the parent with higher ploidy may provide most sequences for their progeny. In addition, some superior germplasm with high Vc content and red flowers were obtained. They will be extremely significant for kiwifruit breeding and genetics study of the species with complicated genetic background.

　　　　　　　　　  　　　　　　　　　　　 (Laboratory of Plant Conservation genetics, Zuozhou Li)