Abstract: The pollination fruiting characteristics of Castanea mollissmia and effects of parents on seed-setting rate and empty-shell rate were studied in this paper. The results showed that there was great difference in bur-setting rate and bud-dropping rate, and the difference in empty-bur rate, seed-setting rate and the number of nuts per bur was significant among different cross combinations. The highest seed-setting rate was observed in cross combination of Hongli×Hebeiduanfeng, and Xionghuabaiyu×Hebeiduanfeng and Yimengduanzhi×Hebeiduanfeng followed it, Chuizhili×Hebeiduanfeng and Hongli×Chuizhili were the lowest, but the empty-bur rate of which were the highest. The hybrid results were different among different male parents and female parents because of compatibility. The seed-setting rate, empty-bur rate and number of nuts per bur were different among four cross combinations whose male parent was Hebeiduanfeng and two cross combinations whose female parent was Hongli. It was also discovered that there was little relationship between involucre development and nuts in it. According to the results, the better the compatibility between parents, the lower the empty-bur rate and the higher the seed-setting rate. Therefore, the selection of pollination trees with good compatibility showed important significance in practical production of Castanea mollissima．

Key words: Castanea mollissima, hybridization, fruiting characteristics, seed-setting rate, bud-setting rate