Pg. 6-8 Lietsjiekultivars en -seleksies in Suid-Afrika

Die beskikbaarheid van vroee en laat kultivars met goeie vrugkwaliteit kan met reg as die grootste enkele beperkende faktor in die Suid-Afrikaanse lietsjiebedryf beskou word. Die oesperiode en beskikbaarheid van /ietsjies in Suid-Afrika duur ongeveer ses tot agt weke. Die periode strek oor ‘n tydperk (rondom Kerstyd) wanneer arbeid, vervoer en berging ‘n probleem is. lndien die produsent ‘n keuse van vroeë en laat kultivars het, sat die oesperiode verleng kan word.
‘n Belangrike prioriteit is dus om vroee en/of laat kultivars vir die bedryf te se/ekteer. ‘n Seleksieprogram waar belowende vroee en laat seleksies by produsente geidentifiseer is en in ‘n evaluasieblok gevestig word, is tans aan die gang. Belowende oorsese kultivars en se/eksies is by die program ingesluit en word steeds ingevoer om geevalueer te word.
Die kultivar HLH Mauritius word as norm gebruik in die seleksieprogram. Die belangrikste evalueringspunt is die tyd van rypwording, wat vroeer of later moet wees as die midseisoen-kultivar HLH Mauritius. Beter vrug- en boom-kwaliteit as die norm-kultivar word ook as evaluasiepunte gebruik.
Die ideaal sou wees om kultivars te tee/ wat aan die behoeftes van die bedryf voldoen en ‘n veredelingsprogram van stapel te stuur. lndien dit moontlik sou wees om belowende tee/ouers te kruis (geen sukses met handbestuiwing), is die fang jeugfase van die saailing maar ‘n enkele probleem.

Summary:

• The biggest limiting factor in the South African litchi industry is the availability of early and late cultivars with good fruit quality.
• The litchi harvest season in South Africa lasts about six to eight weeks, spanning around Christmas when labor, transport, and storage are challenging.
• Having a range of early and late cultivars would help extend the harvest period.
• A selection program is underway to identify promising early and late selections from producers, with imported cultivars included for evaluation.
• The cultivar HLH Mauritius is used as a benchmark norm; evaluation focuses on ripening time relative to HLH Mauritius, as well as fruit and tree quality.
• The ideal goal is to breed cultivars suited to industry needs and possibly start a breeding program, though hand pollination has not been successful and the long juvenile seedling phase is a challenge.
• South African litchi production mainly relies on two cultivars: HLH Mauritius (over 60% of plantings) and Red McLean.
• The overall harvest season is six to eight weeks, but in each growing region it lasts about four weeks.
• Internationally, harvest seasons range from six to nine weeks (China), six to eight weeks (India), and six to ten weeks (Australia).
• Most litchi cultivars originate from seedling trees in China, with some selected and adapted cultivars in India and Hawaii.
• Despite many cultivars existing (up to 100), only a few are commercially grown; cultivar names and origins have been confused internationally.
• Australia is a reliable source for new cultivars imported into South Africa.
• Imported plant material must be quarantined to avoid pest and disease risks.
• Alternative methods to extend the harvest, besides cultivar choice, include using paper bags on fruit clusters, pruning, and growth regulators.
• Cultivars in South Africa are grouped into three categories:
  • Mauritius group – most widely planted with good consistent yields and fruit quality (e.g., HLH Mauritius, Muzaffarpur, Late Large Red).
  • Chinese group – weak yielding but many fruits have seed abortion, potentially due to South African climate (e.g., Haak Ip, Shang Shau Huai, Three Months Red).
  • Madras group – poor internal fruit quality, watery flesh, large seed, irregular bearing (e.g., Kafri, Red McLean, Brewster).
• Newly introduced cultivars include Souey Tung (early), Haak Yip (midseason), Kwai May Pink (late), Salathiel (late, compact tree), and Wai Chee (late, weak tree structure, common in China).
• A selection program compares ripening times and fruit quality to the HLH Mauritius norm; some cultivars ripen one to three weeks earlier or later.
• Climate differences affect ripening times, so all selections should be evaluated at a single experimental site.
• Litchi growers and home gardeners are encouraged to watch for trees that ripen noticeably earlier or later than others.
• A breeding program is considered to produce cultivars meeting producers’ needs, but challenges include the long juvenile stage, reproduction issues, knowledge gaps in flower morphology, pollination, genetics, and heredity.
• Targeted cross-breeding through controlled pollination is planned, along with seedling evaluation programs.
• The breeding program is time-consuming but essential for future cultivar development.