In a landmark transaction for the province’s agricultural sector, a newly developed apple cultivar has been successfully commercialized. The operating rights for the innovative apple variety, known as "Wangyue Bingcui," were officially transferred in Yuncheng, marking a significant first for Shanxi’s fruit breeding industry.
On September 16th, a formal agreement was signed between the Fruit Research Institute of Shanxi Agricultural University (Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences) and Pinglu Biguoyuan Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. in Yuncheng. The deal involved a substantial investment of 2 million yuan to secure the operational rights for this new apple variety. Notably, this represents the first apple variety in the province to be independently cultivated and successfully transitioned into commercial production, highlighting a key achievement in Shanxi's agricultural germplasm innovation.
The "Wangyue Bingcui" variety is the culmination of nearly two decades of dedicated research and selection by the Fruit Research Institute. This project was also a significant component of the provincial science and technology department's key special project on "Development and Application of Key Technologies for Breeding New, Superior, and Characteristic Fruit Varieties." The breeding process began in 2008, using 'Tsugaru' as the maternal parent and a mixed pollen of 'Fuji' and 'Danxia' as the paternal parent. The variety successfully passed provincial-level certification in January 2025.
According to the research team leader, Researcher Xu Haihong, the team preserved over 10,000 hybrid offspring. Through meticulous individual observation, recording, and screening, they ultimately identified this exceptional line. The new variety boasts multiple advantages, including superior fruit quality, stable yields, strong resistance, and a unique aroma, making it well-suited for large-scale, standardized cultivation.
The variety's maturity period conveniently aligns with the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, perfectly capturing a prime consumer spending window. Furthermore, its high resistance to anthracnose leaf blight and excellent storability ensure consistent, high-quality fruit, demonstrating immense potential for industrial development. Xiao Yongfei, the head of Pinglu Biguoyuan Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., expressed strong confidence in the acquisition, stating, "What attracted us is that this variety can withstand market scrutiny. We are confident in building 'Wangyue Bingcui' into a new star variety in the apple industry, turning a good variety into real profits and helping local fruit farmers increase their income."