Genetic Resources, Breeding Programs in China, and Gene Mining of Peach: A Review

Research on peach genetic resources and breeding has achieved remarkable progress in recent decades, especially in China. In this review, we first described the geographic distribution, ecology, phenotypes, and genetic diversity of peach landraces and wild relatives in China. We also discussed the almond. Subsequently, breeding programs of peaches in China are summarized, including breeding history, breeding targets, breeding institutes, elite breeding materials, breeding solutions, and domestically bred representative cultivars. Furthermore, we reviewed the genes or loci that have been mined using both linkage mapping and genome wide association study (GWAS) as well as the evolutionary genetics and domestication history of the peach. Finally, we gave our perspectives and suggestions for future breeding in terms of breeding material selection and breeding technology innovation.