Scientists have developed a new variety of bruise-resistant strawberries that is likely to be available in stores this year, the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute said on Wednesday.
A variety called Tainung No. 1 (台農1號) was announced after a decade of cross-pollinating the Taoyuan No. 1 (桃園1號) — also known as the fenghsiang (豐香) — and perfume (香水) varieties, the institute said.
Taoyuan, the male parent of the new variety, is the most widely cultivated strawberry in Taiwan, institute director-general Lin Hsueh-shih (林學詩) said.
Photo: CNA
The popular variety originated in Europe, according to farmer lore, and is marked by robust health and high yield, although it has a light flavor, Lin said.
Assistant researcher Hsiao Yi-chu (蕭翌柱) used a perfume strawberry, which has a bold flavor, as the female parent to create a better-tasting hybrid, Lin said.
The new variety is also more resilient against mildew, he said.
The resulting fruit, which can be eaten fresh or processed, has a strong scent, vivid color and a firmness like sticky rice, he said.
One plant of the new variety can produce 950g of strawberries each season, less than perfume at 1.1kg, but more than Taoyuan at 800g, Lin said.
Agrotourism enterprises have been granted permission to grow the Tainung strawberries, which should create a nationwide harvest of about NT$1.4 billion (US$49.8 million), he said.
The Chin Lin Agrotourism Farm in Chiayi County and the Taiyi Eco-Recreational Farm in Nantou County are growing the berries on a combined area of 530 hectares, the institute said, adding that harvests are expected before the end of this year.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
RSS