The Characteristics Comparison And Evaluation Of 9 Sweet Cherry Varieties And Elite Selection Study

9 sweet cherry varieties, including Hong deng, Zao da guo, Early red stone, Lapins, Bing, Van, Hong feng, Black tartarian and Napoleon, which grew on sweet cherry productive ground of Hanyuan of Sichuan province, were used in this experiment. The botanical characters, phenological phase, growth, bearing characters, yield were surveyed. The fruit quality and economic benefit were also analyzed. Simultaneously, the sensibilities of fruit cracking were studied. Finally, the comprehensive evaluations were given to each sweet cherry variety by Analytic Hierarchy Process and Membership Function, looking forward to finding good varieties. The followings were the results:(1) For sweet cherry of Han Yuan, its buds were expanding on March, flowers booming on middle or later April, and fruit ripening on early or middle June. Fruit developing period varied from different varieties. Hongdeng, Zaodaguo, Black tartarian and Early red stone were early-maturing varieties and their fruit developing periods were short, which last from 36 days to 41 days. Van, Hong feng and Bing were midseason varieties, the fruit developing periods of which last from 43 days to 49 days, while Lapins and Napoleon were late maturing varieties, the fruit developing periods of which last more than 50 days.(2) 9 sweet cherry varieties were found to grow well and totally adapt to local environment of Han Yuan. Each variety showed its intrinsic botanical characters and growth characters. Growth range of new shoot was from 56 centimeters to 132 centimeters, Early red stone up to 115 centimeters, while Bing 132 centimeters and Napoleon 56 centimeters.(3) Only Lapins was self-fruitful variety among 9 sweet cherry varieties and its self-pollination fruit set rate was up to 16.67% while the self-pollination fruit set rate of other self sterile varieties were from 0 to 3.74%. So pollination trees must be grew in the orchard. Natural fruit set rate was subjected to the compatibility between pollening varieties and pollinated varieties. The natural fruit set rates were from 7.80% to 36.63%, which showed that under present layout of pollination trees in Han Yuan, the fruit set rate is apparently low.(4) The main fruit bearing shoots of most sweet cherry varieties were bouquet spur or bouquet and short shoot. The proportion of bouquet spurs among the total fruit bearing shoots was 37.88% to 93.13%, while the proportion of short fruit bearing shoots was up to 42.42%. The main fruit bearing shoots for Early red stone, Lapins, Bing and Black tartarian, which were young, were bouquet spurs; then long fruit bearing shoots were lower, and the proportion of short and medium shoots were the lowest. Fruit bearing shoots for Zao da guo, Van and Napoleon were mainly bouquet spurs, then short fruit bearing shoots, and medium and long fruit bearing shoots were few. Both bouquet spurs and short fruit bearing shoots were main fruit bearing shoots for Hong deng and Hong feng.(5) The yield varied from different sweet cherry varieties. Lapins was the highest, up to 1523 kg per 667m2. Subsequently, Early red stone, Hong deng and Black tartarian were higher, up to 1494 kg per 667m2,1080 kg per 667m2 and 1058 kg per 667m2 consequently. The yield of Hong feng was the lowest of all, only 558 kg per 667m2. So we can demonstrate that the yield of sweet cherry in Han Yuan was very low under current conditions. Speaking of fruit quantities of each type shoot, the fruit quantities of bouquet spurs or short bearing shoots were majority, which took up the main percentage of total yield.(6) The fruit quality of Zao da guo was perfect with its big fruit, bright color of peel, high soluble solid and high sugar-acid ratio. Hong deng's quality was also pretty good, considering with its big fruit, bright color of peel, high soluble solid and proper sugar-acid ratio. The fruits of Early red stone were medium scale, bright color, high soluble solid, and high sugar-acid ratio; so its quality was good. The rest varieties of selected 9 sweet cherries contain Hong feng, Van, the fruit qualities of which were good, Lapins, Bing and Black tartarian, the fruit qualities of which were common, and Napoleon, fruit quality of which was bad.(7) As for the cracking characters, Bing, Hong deng, Zao da guo and Hong feng were cracking sensible varieties which were high at cracking rate and cracking index. On the contrast, Lapins was cracking resistant variety with low cracking rate and cracking index. What's more, Early red stone, Van and Black tartarian were medium cracking sensible varieties.(8) According to the result of comprehensive evaluation by Analytic Hierarchy Process and Membership Function Method, the sore of Early red stone was 0.6362, the highest among 9 sweet cherry varieties, and that is to say Early red stone was the best variety in comprehensive performance. Zao da guo and Hong deng were also good in comprehensive performance with second highest and third highest scores consequently. Lapins, Van and Hong feng were moderate in comprehensive performance, respectively with the scores of 0.4998,0.4580 and 0.4479. The comprehensive performances of Black tartarian, Bing and Napoleon were relatively worse for the poor scores, which were respectively 0.3637,0.3411 and 0.3169.(9) Suggestion was given to the variety structure optimization of sweet cherry industry for Han Yuan:Hong deng, Zao da guo, Early red stone and Lapins should be main cultivated varieties, while Van and Hong feng should be cultivated properly; early-maturing varieties should be cultivated with priority in Tang Jia town in order to producing extremely early-maturing varieties which had good price; early-maturing varieties and midseason varieties should be mainly cultivated in Jiu Xiang town, while Shuang Xi town and Qing Xi town could develop all kinds of different maturing-period varieties; finally, Jian Li town could develop more midseason varieties and late maturing varieties.