Can a litchi and a longan crossbreed and bear fruit? In the world of botany, they belong to different genera, meaning natural reproductive barriers usually make intergeneric breeding impossible. However, Chinese scientists have just pulled off an incredible genetic breakthrough.
On June 2, the world's first hybrid tree bred from a litchi mother ("Huaizhi") and a longan father ("Shixia") bore fruit for the first time at the Field Genebank for Litchi in Guangzhou. Temporarily named "Huaishi" (怀石), this hybrid marks a historic breakthrough in overcoming reproductive isolation between these two popular summer fruits.
The project began in 2015 when researchers at the Institute of Fruit Tree Research of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences applied an innovative strategy. They mixed inactivated litchi pollen with live longan pollen. This simulated self-pollination in the litchi pistil, allowing the longan pollen to "slip through" and fertilize a hybrid seed.
The outcome exceeded expectations. Although both parent varieties are late-ripening, the "Huaishi" hybrid matured early in mid-May. Unlike other early season litchis that can be quite tart, "Huaishi" fruits are exceptionally sweet and bursting with a rich, unique aroma.
This historic breakthrough was made possible by the world's largest living litchi gene bank in Guangzhou. Over the past 60 years, the facility has preserved more than 700 germplasm samples, including local varieties and overseas specimens that have disappeared from commercial cultivation. "Preserving resources is only part of our mission; our ultimate goal is to breed more premium varieties," said Yan Qian, executive director of the Field Genebank for Litchi.
Thanks to advanced gene-sequencing technology, researchers can now predict a fruit's future sweetness and seed size simply by testing a seedling's leaf, reducing the breeding cycle from ten years to just three. While "Huaishi" is currently undergoing comparative testing and will take five to six years to hit the market, it showcases the immense innovation driving China's fruit industry forward.
Author | Dong Han
Photo | Guangzhou Daily
