ZiboCastor No.6
ZiboCastor No.6 is a middle early-maturing hybrid variety bred by Zibo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, using F9803 female line as female parent and M217 as male parent. It passed the national appraisal in Dec. 2005.
1. Yield: In the experiment of Zibo city in 2003, its yield was 4579.5kg/ha which was 18.4 % higher than that of ZiboCastor No.2 (CK). In the experiments of three places of Zibo city in 2004, its yield were separately 4399.5kg/ha, 4783.5kg/ha and 305.5kg/ha, which were respectively 10.34 %, 19.97 % and 14.93 % higher than CK. The result of the two-year experiment indicated that its yield was averagely 15.08% higher than CK. Ordinarily its yield is about 4500kg/ha. In Xinjiang Autonomous Region, its yield can be above 6750kg/ha by high-yield cultivation. The potential yield of one plant is above 1000g.
2. Characteristics: For ZiboCastor No.6, it takes 90 days from seedlings emergence to the main fruit ears becoming ripe. It has the habit of indeterminate growth. The plant is 220cm high which has 4-5 first branches. The fruit ears look like pagodas and the main fruit ear is 75-90cm long. There are lots of thorns on the capsules. The seed is elliptical with some brown-red stripes on its coat. The weight of 100 seeds is about 40g. Kernal rate (kernals /seeds กม100%) is 75.4%. The seed oil content is 50.28% and kernal oil content is 64.46%.
3. Key points of cultivation: It can be planted in wide regions. In China, it is suitable to be planted in such areas where the frost-free period is above 110 days. It has outstanding performance in the Northeast, the Northwest and North China. Sowing time: In middle regions of Shandong province, the suitable spring sowing time is between the last ten-day period of March and the first ten-day period of April. To interplant in wheat fields, the suitable sowing time is the first ten-day period of May. In the Northeast and Inner Mongolia, the suitable sowing time is the last twenty-day period of April. In such regions where the frost-free period is less than 110 days, growing seedlings and transplanting is available in castor cultivation. Cultivation density: In middle regions of Shandong province, the row spacing is 100-120cm, the spacing in the rows is 70-80cm, plants population is 10500-13500/ha. In the Northeast and Inner Mongolia, the row spacing is 100-120cm (sowing seeds on ridge every two ridges is available), the spacing in the rows is 60cm, population of plants is 13500-15000/ha. In such areas where the temperature difference is large and the sunshine is strong, such as Xinjiang Autonomous Region etc., the population of plants can be increased to 13500-18000/ha.