Introduction to the High-Yield and Disease-Resistant Characteristics of the New Pumpkin Variety Hualien AVRDC No. 2 - Youwang
The Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, together with the internationally renowned AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, has developed a new disease-resistant pumpkin variety "Hualien AVRDC No. 2 - Youwang," which is resistant to two viruses. One of its parents is the strongly virus-resistant variety "Hualien AVRDC No. 1 - Taishan.
The Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, together with the internationally renowned AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, has developed a new disease-resistant pumpkin variety "Hualien AVRDC No. 2 - Youwang," which is resistant to two viruses. One of its parents is the strongly virus-resistant variety "Hualien AVRDC No. 1 - Taishan," so "Youwang" can reduce pesticide control and is very suitable for organic and eco-friendly farming. Technology transfer to a seed company for production was already completed at the end of last year, and commercial seeds are expected to be produced, packaged and launched on the market by the end of March this year. Farmers who trial-planted it last year all said it performed well and had high yields. Pumpkin cultivation and planting techniques are what we need to know.
Because viral diseases of pumpkin are becoming increasingly serious, the Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station and AVRDC officially began cooperation in 2012 (ROC year 101) on the selection and observational trials of virus-resistant pumpkin lines, using traditional backcross breeding to cross the disease resistance of African disease-resistant wild pumpkins into traditional papaya-type pumpkins, so that the new variety combines the flavor of local pumpkins with the disease resistance of African disease-resistant wild species.
The first developed pumpkin, "Hualien AVRDC No. 1 - Taishan," has resistance to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus disease and Cucumber mosaic virus disease. After trait examination, a plant variety right application was filed, and the variety right was finally approved in May 2017 (ROC year 106). At the same time, the Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station continued to use "Taishan" as a parent to breed the first-generation hybrid variety "Hualien AVRDC No. 2 - Youwang," which just completed trait examination last year and was submitted to the Agriculture and Food Agency for a plant variety right application. "Youwang" has high yield and is resistant to 2 viruses, making it very suitable for organic and eco-friendly cultivation.
"Youwang" grown prostrate on the ground has vigorous growth, and with disease resistance and reduced pesticide use, it has the potential to become a driving force in organic and eco-friendly cultivation
Wang Qizheng, a researcher at the Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station, said that although traditional Chinese pumpkins are more heat-tolerant than Western pumpkins, viral disease problems mean that transplanting is still concentrated from October to February of the following year, so production is concentrated from February to May, and prices are lower during the peak production period.
In this trial, transplanting was delayed by one month. When transplanted in mid-March in a farmer demonstration field, it could be seen that the virus resistance of "Youwang" was better than that of the control variety, so it can be transplanted in mid-March or even in April, and can be harvested from early July to mid-August when pumpkin prices are better. As long as attention is paid to controlling Phytophthora disease during the plum rain season and to controlling melon fruit flies during the flowering period, yield per hectare can reach more than 32 tons, while organic cultivation can reach more than 20 tons.
Farmers who participated in trial planting "Youwang" last year responded very positively, and also thought this new variety was delicious. It can also be planted in late spring and harvested starting in July when prices are higher, and its shape is pomelo-shaped, making it easier to pack than traditional papaya-type pumpkins. It is believed that it can fetch a good price on the auction market. Farmers can directly purchase "Youwang" seeds from Xinhua Seed Company, the seed company to which the Hualien District Agricultural Improvement Station transferred the technology.
