Detailed Explanation of the Key Cultivation Techniques for Extra-Early Crisp Honey Jujube

"Extra-Early Crisp Honey King Jujube" is a rare early-maturing fresh-eating jujube variety in China. This variety has moderate tree vigor, a naturally open branch angle, and branches that do not grow excessively. The fruit is cylindrical, with a white skin at the crisp-ripe stage and a bright red, glossy skin at the fully ripe stage. The single fruit weighs about 30 grams, and the fruits are uniform in size, with a small pit and thick flesh, and an edible rate of about 98%. It also has the following characteristics:

1. Extremely early maturity

The maturity period is in late July, about 1 month earlier than the pear jujube, making it an extremely early-maturing fresh-eating jujube variety.

2. Extra-large fruit

The average single fruit weighs about 30 grams, with the largest reaching over 100 grams, the same size as the pear jujube.

3. Strong disease resistance and stress resistance

This variety is resistant to drought, fruit cracking, fruit drop, anthracnose, and rust, and is tolerant of poor soil and saline-alkali conditions.

4. Good early bearing and high yield

This variety is self-fruitful and has a high fruit-setting rate. Under normal conditions, planting in the current year can bear fruit in the same year; in the second year, the yield per plant can reach about 2.5 kg; in the third year, the yield per 667 sq m (1 mu) can reach over 1500 kg.

5. Excellent quality

The fruit has an attractive color, is sweet, crisp, and juicy, with no grit, and the sugar content at the fully ripe stage is as high as over 30%. Its quality is comparable to that of the winter jujube.

6. Key cultivation points

(1) It can be planted anywhere in northern and southern China where jujube trees can be grown. Plant on raised ridges about 20 cm high, with 110 plants per 667 sq m, at a spacing of 2 m x 3 m.

(2) Pruning: Summer pruning is the main method. For seedlings planted in the current year, leave only 3-4 buds per plant, with the trunk height at about 50 cm. When the jujube head grows to 8-9 secondary branches, the jujube head should be removed. In the second year, it is best not to let it bear fruit; remove all secondary branches and let the main branches regrow. When there are 7-9 secondary branches (that is, fruiting branches), remove the jujube head. In this way, the tree canopy can be formed in the second year, and it can enter the high-yield period in the third year.

(3) Tree shape: Mainly the open-center shape and the two-layer shape.

(4) Fertilizer and water management: Fertilization is mainly in autumn. After digging trenches and burying farmyard manure, apply about 5000 kg of farmyard manure per 667 sq m; during the full flowering stage, before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m., spray 0.3% urea; from fruit setting after flowering to fruit enlargement, spray foliar fertilizer or growth regulators or trace elements once a week to increase the fruit-setting rate, promote fruit enlargement, and improve fruit quality.

(5) Pest and disease control: When clearing the orchard in winter, spray 3 degrees Baume lime-sulfur mixture before bud break to kill overwintering pathogens and insect eggs; at bud break, spray a pyrethroid insecticide once to prevent pests; from fruit setting to before fruit enlargement, spray Bordeaux mixture or fenarimol or carbendazim once every 10 days to control jujube rust and anthracnose.