Evaluation of Lychee { Litchi ChinensisSonn.) Cultivars on the Atherton Tableland of North Queensland

Abstract

Thirty-eight lychee ( Litchi chinensisSonn.) cultivars were evaluated between 1970-1991 on the Atherton Tableland of North Queensland for regularity of cropping, yield, and fruit characteristics.

Fruit were harvested between early November and late January. Mean annual yields ranged from < 0.1 to 58 kg/tree. ‘Bengal’ (58 kg/tree), ‘Haak Yip’ group (23), ‘Souey Tung’ (19) and Tai So’ group (27) were the heaviest croppers. Neither minimum monthly temperatures, deviation from normal minimum, number of days within minimum < 12°C, or heat units during June, July or August (winter) appeared related to yield, although all cultivars failed to crop in a year of no winter cold period when daily minimum temperatures were 1.1, 2.3 and 1.2°C above normal in June, July And August respectively.

Mean fruit weights ranged from 11.3 g (‘Groff’) to 34.2 g (‘Chacapat’), with 9 lines i.e. ‘Bengal,’ ‘Brewster,’ ‘Chacapat,’ ‘Fay Zee Siu,’ ‘Kiamana,’, ‘Peerless,’ ‘Sampao Kaow, ‘Sang’ and the ‘Tai So’ group averaging > 20 g. Three cultivars, ‘Kiamana,’ ‘Kwa Lok’ and ‘Salathiel’ gave > 75% flesh recovery. ‘Salathiel’ consistently displayed > 90% “chicken tongue” (aborted seed).

Recommended early cultivars are: ‘Souey Tung,’ ‘Fay Zee Siu’ (Synonym-‘Yook Ho Pow’) and ‘Tai So,’ mid-season: ‘Haak Yjp,’ ‘Kwai Mai Pink’; and late season: ‘Wai Chee,’ ‘Luk Lai’ and possibly ‘Salathiel.’