Molecular fingerprinting of a new Kiwifruit cultivar (cv. Tsehelidis) and comparative analysis with cv. Hayward according to physicochemical properties

“Tsechelidis” is a new kiwifruit cultivar of Actinidia deliciosa species that was developed in North Greece (Episkopi, Imathia) through collaboration between Farmaplant S.A and Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly.The variety originated from a systematically sporophytic selection in cv. Hayward and was evaluated for its plant and fruit characteristics for 3 years. In parallel with the above, the genetic identity of the new variety was determined using molecular DNA analysis, based on SSR markers. The results of the analysis supported the uncontested differences between the two comparative genotypes (Tsechelidis vs. Hayward). On December 2003 an application was submitted to the European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), which covers the jurisdiction of the EU regards the examination of characteristics and the plant breeder's right of the new variety on the inventor's initiative. The final approval for the new variety was granted on November 2007. Nowadays the variety is grown commercially in Greece, Italy, Chile and New Zealand.The most important morphological and quality characteristics, of both the fruit and the plant, are the large, cylindrical size of fruit (mean weight 170–180 g), the high vitamin C content (almost double amount compared to Hayward variety), fruit uniformity, vigorous plant growth and early period of ripening. Fruit cv. Tsechelidis had also minor flesh colour differences, ripened more rapidly at room temperature and was always of better organoleptic quality compared to fruit cv. Hayward.