New lettuce variety Lyubao has few pests and diseases, making it a new choice for balcony vegetable gardening

There is a new option for growing vegetables on the balcony. The Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station under the Council of Agriculture spent ten years, and last year developed a new lettuce variety called "Lubao" (Green Treasure). Its leaves are strongly upright, unlike the traditional Fushan lettuce, which tends to collapse, and it has few pests and diseases, making it very suitable for home DIY cultivation. It can be harvested 5 days earlier, and its yield is one quarter more than traditional lettuce. Home gardening businesses have already inquired about technology transfer.

Lettuce is rich in dietary fiber, beta-carotene and vitamin C. Tossed into a fresh salad, it is crisp and healthy, and is deeply loved by the public. In 2004, the Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station used upright lettuce as the male parent and crossed it with the female parent Fushan lettuce. Last year it developed the new variety Taoyuan No. 3, named "Lubao".

Li Ajiao, director of the Taipei Branch Station of the Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, said that Lubao is a semi-heading lettuce. The mainland A vegetable that Taiwanese people love to eat is semi-heading. Because it gives off a special odor, many insects do not like to eat it, and it has few pests and diseases. It has now become one of the top three leafy vegetable crops produced in Taiwan, with a production area in the north reaching 440 hectares.

Lubao has good upright growth and yield

The biggest feature of Lubao is its good upright growth. When it rains, water droplets run down along the leaves, and they do not rot because water accumulates on the leaves and is exposed to sunlight. It also picks up less soil at harvest. It is suitable for growing on narrow balconies, and can be harvested in just 35 to 40 days. If you do not want to grow it for that long, you can also buy more mature seedlings from seedling businesses and enjoy the pleasure of harvest in less than a month.

Jiang Shunhui, assistant researcher at the Taipei Branch Station, said that most lettuce is grown in facilities such as greenhouses with insect netting. Lubao's harvest period is 5 days shorter than traditional lettuce, which can increase facility use efficiency by 8-10%. Its yield is also 25% higher than the common Fushan lettuce on the market, and it tastes crisper, with larger leaves and a greener color, looking good whether stir-fried or tossed in a salad.

Last year Lubao passed the Council of Agriculture's variety rights review and is currently undergoing licensing and technology transfer. One home gardening company has already inquired. Li Ajiao said that Lubao is not yet available on the market, and she hopes it can be transferred for seed cultivation this autumn.

For ordinary people who want to grow lettuce, Jiang Shunhui suggests that the balcony should have at least half a day of sunlight, with a plant spacing of about 20 cm. After transplanting, the soil should be soaked thoroughly the first time. It is not necessary to water every day; you can adjust by observing the weather and soil moisture.