Xuan'en Gongshui White Pomelo

Xuan'en Gongshui White Pomelo

Xuan'en Gongshui White Pomelo is a protected geographical indication product.

　　 Gongshui White Pomelo is a unique fruit variety exclusive to Hubei Province, with its origin in Lijiahe Township, Xuan'en. Renowned nationwide for its pleasantly tart flavor and excellent storability, Xuan'en County was honored with the title “Hometown of White Pomelos in China” by the State Forestry Administration in 2001.

　　The Gongshui White Pomelo fruit is inverted-ovoid in shape, with a medium-thick peel, white sponge layer, slightly indented and furrowed base, yellowish-white rind surface, and fine-medium oil glands. The leaves are thick, medium to large in size, dark green and glossy. The fruits are medium-sized. The tree canopy is compact, naturally rounded, with sturdy branches, short internodes, and small thorns. It has a simple compound leaf that is broadly ovate, with medium-small wing leaves in an inverted heart shape. The average single fruit weighs over 1000 grams. The juice vesicles are crisp, tender, with a well-balanced sweet-tart taste, rich flavor, free from bitterness or numbness, and have few or no seeds. The peel is easy to remove and the fruit stores well.

　　In Boluohe Village, Lijiahe Township, Xuan'en, there is currently a planting area of 100,000 mu, of which 20,000 mu have been certified as green food by the National Ministry of Agriculture. The main growing areas are concentrated in Shadaogou, Gaoluo, and Lijiahe townships. In 1998, it won first place in the national high-quality pomelo competition. In 2000, it was named “Hubei Provincial Characteristic Fruit” and “Hubei Provincial High-Quality Fruit.” In December 2006, it passed the variety review (recognition) by the Hubei Crop Variety Approval Committee and was officially named “Gongshui White Pomelo.”

　　The white pomelo industry is a distinctive sector that has been vigorously developed in recent years. Currently, the white pomelo planting area has expanded to 18,000 mu, with 40% of the pomelo trees beginning to bear fruit, producing nearly 2 million standard fruits in 2008. To promote the sustainable and healthy development of the white pomelo industry, Xuan'en County has actively promoted the "pig-biogas-fruit" ecological cycle agricultural model, strictly implemented green production standards, applied prevention and control technologies focusing on physical and biological methods, replaced pesticide-based pest control with light-controlled insect trapping, largely achieved harmless field pest and disease control, and actively guided leading enterprises, specialized cooperatives, and major growers in export sales.

　　I. Variety Origin

　　A high-quality pomelo from Xuan'en County, Hubei, it successively won gold awards at the prefectural, provincial, and national levels in 1998 and 1999. It is a new bud mutation variety of late white pomelo.

　　II. Yield Performance

　　Average single fruit weight is 2–6 jin (1–3 kg), with 5-year-old trees bearing 40–50 fruits per plant and yielding over 6,000 jin (3,000 kg) per mu.

　　III. Characteristics and Features

　　Matures in early November, with few seeds—most are seedless—intense sweetness, suitable for cultivation in areas below 600 meters altitude.

　　IV. Cultivation Key Points

　　Plant spacing is 3×4 meters, with 55 plants per mu. To ensure the Gongshui White Pomelo remains seedless or minimally seeded, it must not be planted near seeded citrus varieties, nor should pollinating trees be included.

　　The production area of Gongshui White Pomelo covers the administrative regions of six townships in Xuan'en County, Hubei Province: Lijiahe Township, Shadaogou Town, Gaoluo Township, Zhushan Town, Xiaoguan Dong Autonomous Township, and Jiaoyuan Town.