Dongfeng Longan

Dongfeng Longan

　　Breeding Unit: Dongguan Agricultural Science Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University

　　Variety Source: Chuliang Longan / Mixed pollen from Shixia and Dawuyuan Longan

　　Characteristics: Moderate tree vigor with an open trunk. Flowering period is from March to April, with long inflorescences and strong flowering and fruit-setting ability. The fruits are flat-round, relatively large, with good uniformity. Average single fruit weight is 10.2 grams. The flesh is milky white, semi-transparent, sweet, with a soluble solids content of 20.12%, vitamin C content of 38.6 mg per 100 grams of flesh, titratable acid content of 0.080%, and edible rate of 69.4%.

　　Yield Performance: In Dongguan, 12-year-old Shixia longan trees grafted in the third year (canopy size 1.80 m × 1.65 m) yielded 12.2 kg per plant, in the fourth year (canopy size 2.25 m × 2.14 m) 17.4 kg per plant, and in the fifth year (canopy size 2.67 m × 2.45 m) 24.0 kg per plant.

　　Key Cultivation Techniques: (1) Use Wuyuan, Chuliang, Shixia, or Fuyan as rootstocks for grafting, with grafting carried out in spring or autumn; (2) Plant in pits 0.8 m deep, long, and wide, with a spacing of 5 × 6 m, about 22 plants per mu; (3) Spray 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate 3–5 times during the autumn shoot growth and young fruit development stages; (4) Select well-matured late autumn shoots in December as fruiting mother branches, and use girdling or chemical treatments to control shoot growth and promote flowering after shoot maturation; (5) Pinch the main rachis when 4–5 primary lateral flower spikes have grown, and thin the fruits after the first physiological fruit drop; (6) Pay attention to the prevention and control of diseases and pests such as downy mildew, anthracnose, stink bugs, and fruit-piercing moths during shoot growth and fruit development stages.

　　 Provincial Variety Approval Committee Comments: Dongfeng Longan is high-yielding and stable, with relatively large, flat-round fruits that are sweet and of medium to high quality. It is suitable for cultivation in longan-producing regions of our province.