On April 27, at the demonstration site of "Zhongyou 909" in Anfu County, Jiangxi Province, experts evaluated the high-yielding and disease-resistant rapeseed variety "Zhongyou 909" independently bred by the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The results showed that the incidence of root knot disease was only 2%, which is 86% lower than that of local non-resistant varieties, with a theoretical yield of 210.9 kilograms per mu. The expert group unanimously agreed that this variety exhibits strong resistance to root knot disease, as well as resistance to clubroot, high yield potential, providing strong support for rapeseed production in root knot disease-prone areas.
"Zhongyou 909" demonstration field. Image provided by the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Clubroot disease in rapeseed is a soil-borne disease, known as the "cancer" of cruciferous plants, posing a serious threat to rapeseed production. Breeding resistant varieties is an effective way to address clubroot disease in rapeseed.
The Oil Crops Research Institute's team on rapeseed crop stress biology and resistance improvement has met the new demand for clubroot disease-resistant varieties. After years of research, they have developed a new clubroot-resistant rapeseed variety called "Zhongyou 909." This variety participated in trials in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River from 2019 to 2021, with an average yield of 196.46 kg per mu and an oil content of 49.87%. It is suitable for cultivation in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and has been demonstrated in multiple clubroot disease areas in Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, showing characteristics of high yield, high oil content, strong disease resistance, and wide adaptability.
On-site evaluation by expert group. Image provided by the Oil Crops Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
It is reported that the average yield of rapeseed varieties in Anfu is 120-130 kilograms per mu, with local root knot nematode disease-prone areas causing rapeseed yield reduction or even complete crop failure. By demonstrating the introduction of the new rapeseed variety "Zhongyou 909" resistant to root knot nematodes, not only can the occurrence of rapeseed root knot disease be effectively controlled, but also high yields can be obtained, which is highly favored by farmers. Experts unanimously stated that the large-scale promotion and application of this variety is of great significance in promoting the expansion and increase of rapeseed production, increasing farmers' income, and ensuring national oilseed supply security.
