[Profile of Jiaxiang 6]

Castor oil plant, which is among the ten oil crops in the world, is known as a kind of bio-oil and green energy. Castor oil not only can be used directly as fuel but also can be used for production of high quality and low pollution fuel, whose combustion value is similar with Gasoline and diesel. Moreover, the leaves of castor oil plant can be used for silkworm rearing, and its stem is paper and MDF (Medium density fiber board) manufacturing materials, and the Castor oil residue can be used for the extraction of dietary protein and the production of high quality fertilizer. Castor oil plant has high economic value for the great comprehensive development and utilization prospects of its beans, stems and leaves. Most of the castor hybrids have low resistance, but Jiaxiang 6 is a kind of mid-precocious castor hybrid with high resistance, high quantity, and large ears.

1. Characteristics

Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid can become ripe within 100 days after the emergence of seedling. Most of the stems of Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid are red, and a few are green. It has 3-4 branches, and its main stem has 10 internodes. There are 5-10 Pagoda-like ears when it is ripe. The high of the main ear is 50-60cm, and the long of the main ear is 60-110cm. There are small soft spines on the fruit, and its bean is oval with brown pattern. The weight of hundred beans is 45-50g, and the oil content of its bean is 52.8%. Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid with vigorous growth is resistant to drought, salinity, and has well-developed roots. But Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid is not resistant to waterlogging. The fruit of Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid would not burst and drop, and can easily be harvested and hulled.

2. Yield Performance

The general yield is4500Kg/ha, and the yield could be5250Kg/ha when high-yield cultivation. The production potential of one single plant is1500g.

3. Environment condition

Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid has high resistance to fusarium, verticillium wilt and is high-ratoon plant. Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid can be promoted in South China, North China, Northeast China, Xinjiang, andSoutheast Asiawhere the frost-free period must be over 130 days and the effective accumulated temperature over10℃must be no less than2600℃.

4. Cultural Techniques

(1) Soil choosing and Fertilization

Flat or sloping land, which is not water logging, is enough to plant Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid. It is better to be planted in loose and fertile land with deep soil and high content of organic matter. Manure should be applied before plowing, and basic fertilizer should be enough before sowing. Three element compound fertilizer (The component of N, P, K are all 15% respectively) is better. Generally, 300-450Kg/ha fertilizer should be applied, and 450-750Kg/ha fertilizer should be applied when high-yield cultivation.

(2) Sowing

Jiaxiang 6 castor hybrid become growing when the temperature is over10℃, so it is sowed when the temperature is surely over5℃. InNorth China, it is sowed in early April. In Northeast andNorthwest China, it is sowed in late April. InSouth China, it should be sowed after the rainy-spring season. The seed should be coated (Reagent : seed is 1:50) in ordered to avoid seedling rotting. When sowed, two seeds are sowed per hole and then 2-5cmthick soil layer is covered over the hole. Compact the soil lightly. Only when the moisture in the soil is enough, 100% seedling emergence could be guaranteed.

(3) Seedlings Arrangement

When seedlings emerge, check the seedlings and transplant seedlings. The smaller of the seedlings’ age, the higher survival rate of the transplanted seedlings. The time of final singling of seedlings is when four true leaves emerge. Only one plant/hole should be retained. Seedlings with red stem should be reserved, and green-stem seedlings, small seedlings and sick seedlings should be removed. It is necessary to do intertillage, loosen the soil and extirpate weeds. Also, increasing the soil temperature, reducing excess water in the soil, avoiding excessive growth of seedlings and promoting vigorous root growth are necessary for the purpose of vigorous growth of seedlings.

(4) Bud-period Arrangement

Jiaxiang 6 hybrid has larger and more ears and develops fast, so more nutrition and fertilizer is needed. It’s very important to strengthen fertilizer and water arrangement. Castor oil plant is planted in rows which are not the same as wide. In order to facilitate management, the wide row and the narrow row are arranged one by one. When irrigating, make sure that water should be slowly into the narrow rows and pouring large amount of water should be avoided. When topdressing fertilizer, 150-225Kg/ha urea is needed.

(5) Late Management

If there is drought, irrigation is needed. Along with irrigating, apply75Kg/ha urea, and spray2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or other leaf fertilizers like luoxiaowang, wannianfeng, fuwanjia. Thus, hundred-bean weight is increased, photosynthesis is enhanced, premature and deciduous phenomenon is avoided. Remove the top flower and terminal bud of the too vigorous-growth plant, when 40 days before frost weather begin to appear.

5. Harvesting and Hulling

When one third of the fruit on the ear become brown from green and minor cracks appear on the pericarp, the whole ear has become ripe. Cut the ear by pruning shears and take the ear to the grounds to dry it. Or strip the fruit down from the ear and put them into Plastic woven bag, and then take them to the grounds to dry it. The main ear becomes ripe first, and ears on the branches become ripe later. So the harvesting process could be divided into 2-3 stages. After the fruits have been dried, hull them by castor hulling machine. Remember that the drier the fruit, the easier the hulling. If the fruit is not dry enough, it will be crushed when hulled. After hulling, the castor bean can not be dried by sunlight so as to avoid storage time reduction caused by testa rupture.

Shandong Jiaxiang Castor Seed Co., Ltd.CHINA