Guang’an Long’an Pomelo

Guang’an Long’an Pomelo

　　Guang’an Long’an Pomelo is a renowned specialty of Long’an Township, Guang’an District, Guang’an City, Sichuan Province. The fruit features elliptical, dark green leaves with ovate-oblong wing leaves. Its peel is yellow-orange, with pink juice sacs. The flesh is crisp and tender, mildly sweet and tangy, juicy, and seedless or with few seeds.

　　Guang’an Long’an Pomelo originated from two 53-year-old pomelo trees behind the home of villager Tang Yanwen in Qunce Village, Long’an Township, Guang’an District. It was selected and cultivated by the Economic Crop Technology Extension Station of Guang’an District, Guang’an City, making it a distinctive and locally famous citrus product. zrk

　　In the 1990s, Guang’an Long’an Pomelo was rated as a provincial high-quality fruit for three consecutive years, won the national Golden Cup Award for high-quality pomelos four times, and received the Gold Award at the Second China Agricultural Expo in 1995. In 2008, Long’an Pomelo was approved as a National Geographical Indication Protected Product, becoming one of the few citrus fruits to receive such recognition. zrk

　　Guang’an Long’an Pomelo trees have moderate vigor, semi-spreading growth habit, and a round-topped canopy. The branches are thick yet soft. The leaves are elliptical and dark green, with ovate-oblong wing leaves. The flowers are white with 4–5 petals. The fruit is medium to large, oblong-conical or pear-shaped, with an average single fruit weight of 1298.2 grams and a flat top. The peel is yellow-orange, with pink juice sacs. The flesh is crisp and tender, mildly sweet and tangy, juicy, and seedless or with few seeds. It contains 11.5–12% soluble solids, with 7.9–9.7g total sugar, 0.93–0.95g acid, and 55–63mg VC per 100ml juice. The fruit matures in mid-November. Long’an Pomelo — seedless or with few seeds. zrk

　　Guang’an District enjoys a mild climate with distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, an average annual temperature of 17.2°C, average annual sunshine duration of 1123.4 hours, average annual precipitation of 1087.8mm, relative humidity of 84%, and a frost-free period of up to 332 days. The soil in Long’an Township is mostly grayish-brown purple soil from the Shaxi Temple formation, rich in mineral nutrients and organic matter, making it highly suitable for pomelo cultivation. zrk

　　Yield Performance of Guang’an Long’an Pomelo: The trees are high-yielding and stable, with flowering occurring three years after planting, fruiting starting in the fourth year, and reaching peak production around 10 years. Yield can exceed 2000 kilograms per mu. zrk

　　Key Cultivation Points for Guang’an Long’an Pomelo: Use robust, large seedlings for planting, with a row-to-plant spacing of 5m × 4m, about 35 plants per mu. For young trees, apply fertilizer frequently but in small amounts. For bearing trees, follow the principle of “promoting pre-flowering fertilizer, applying stable fruiting fertilizer appropriately, heavily applying fruit-enlarging fertilizer, and sufficiently applying post-harvest fertilizer.” Pruning should maintain moderate vigor, following the principle of “heavier on the outside and top, lighter on the inside and bottom.” Implement root pruning, branch pulling, and girdling to control growth and promote flowering. Also consider using growth regulators to enhance flowering and fruit retention. zrk

　　Planting Region for Guang’an Long’an Pomelo: Suitable for cultivation in the “sweet orange suitable zone” of central Sichuan’s hilly areas. zrk