ZiboCastor No.5
ZiboCastor No.5 is a middle maturing hybrid variety bred by Zibo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, using middle maturing female line, which has big fruit ears and capsules without thorns, as female parent and using disease-resistant self-bred line, which has big seeds and was bred from foreign germplasm, as male parent. It was certified by the Crop Variety Approval Committee of Ningxia Huizu Autonomous Region in 2001 and passed the national appraisal in Dec. 2005.1. Yield: It was tested in the new castor variety contrast test and production experiment of Ningxia Huizu Autonomous Region between 1998 and 2000, the yield was averagely 20 % higher than CK, which occupied the first place among all testing varieties. Ordinarily its yield is 4500kg/ha. In Xinjiang Autonomous Region, its yield can be above 6450kg/ha by high-yield cultivation. The potential yield of one plant is above 1000g.
2. Characteristics: Its young stem is purplish red, its main stem and veins are lilac. The plant is 200cm high which has 4-5 first branches. One plant produces 7-8 fruit ears which look like pagodas. The main fruit ear is 55-70cm long. There are lots of thorns on the capsules. The seed is elliptical with brown-red stripes on its coat. The weight of 100 seeds is about 40g. The kernal rate (kernals /seeds กม100%) is 76.4%. The seed oil content is 50.57% and kernal oil content is 64.88%.
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 60 cm, 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.