Early Biqi (早荠蜜梅)

Description

This variety was bred by Cixi Yangmei Research Institute and Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences Horticulture. It is a seedling early-maturing variant of Biqi and was named by the famous expert Mr. Wu Gengmin. The fruit of this variety is oblate, with a single fruit weight of about 10 grams and uniform size. When fully ripe, the fruit is dark purple-red, with a soluble solid content of 12.4%, an acid content of 1.26%, and an edible rate of 93.1%. It is moderately sweet and sour and has excellent quality. It matures in early to mid-June in Cixi, its place of origin, about 10 days earlier than water chestnuts, and is currently one of the earliest-maturing fine varieties.