Geographical Indication Characteristics, Unique Production Methods and Industrial Development Measures of Zhuanbu Strawberry

Xiaomei CUI, Yangang LIU, Lijuan LIU, Deyou LIU, Zhouliang WANG, Zongguo MA, Minghua XU, Jun CHEN, Xiushan ZHAO

Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi 276012, China

Abstract This article describes the geographical indication characteristics of Zhuanbu strawberry, a special product of Yinan County, Shandong Province, a national geographical indication agricultural product, including specific production area, unique production environment, rich human history and unique product quality, summarizes the unique production method of Zhuanbu strawberry from selection of production area and varieties, production management, timely harvesting and other aspects, and puts forward corresponding industrial development measures, in order to maintain the brand of Zhuanbu strawberry to the greatest extent and further improve the brand awareness and market competitiveness of Zhuanbu strawberry.

Key words Zhuanbu strawberry, Geographical indication characteristic, Unique production method, Industrial development measure

1 Introduction

Zhuanbu strawberry is a specialty of Yinan County, Shandong Province. As it was first produced in Zhuanbu Town, Yinan County, it is named Zhuanbu strawberry. The soil and climate conditions in Zhuanbu Town and surrounding areas of Yinan County are good, and the strawberry fruit produced is uniform in color, beautiful, sweet and sour, and has a strong aroma, so it is deeply loved by consumers and is exported to Yantai, Qingdao, Rizhao and other regions. Zhuanbu strawberry has rich medicinal and dietetic value. Coupled with specific production environment conditions, special cultivation management methods and rich human history, it was recognized as a national agricultural product of geographical indication by the former Ministry of Agriculture in January, 2017.In April, 2017,Zhuanbu Strawberry won the gold award in the 5Yimeng High-quality Agricultural Products Fair and the gold award of Consumers’ Favorite Agricultural Products. In August, 2017, Zhuanbu strawberry won the certificate of origin of pollution-free agricultural products. In November, 2017, Zhuanbu strawberry had a brand value of 269 million yuan in the public brand value assessment of China’s fruit area, ranking 123. In the 16Linyi Strawberry Cultural Tourism Festival in 2018, Zhuanbu strawberry won the only gold award.This article intended to introduce the geographical indication characteristics and unique production methods of Zhuanbu strawberry and put forward corresponding industrial development measures, so as to maintain the brand of Zhuanbu strawberry to the greatest extent and further improve the brand awareness and market competitiveness of Zhuanbu strawberry.

2 Geographical indication characteristics

2.1 Specific production area

The production area of Zhuanbu strawberry (118°19′-118°33′ E, 35°19′-35°35′ N) is located in Yinan County, Shandong Province, to Dazhuang Town in the east, Zhangzhuang Town in the west, Zhuanbu Town in the south, and Yiwen Town in the north, including 5 towns (streets) of Zhuanbu Town, Zhangzhuang Town, Dazhuang Town, Yiwen Town and Jiehu Street. The protected area covers an area of 573 km, with a total production area of 1 400 ha, a total annual output of 42 000 t, and an annual income of 84 million yuan.

2.2 Unique natural ecological environment

2.2.1

Topography and landform. Yinan County is located in a mountainous and hilly area in the southeast of Shandong. It is located in the middle of the Yimeng mountainous area, the east of Mengshan Mountains, and the upper and middle reaches of the Yi River Basin. Zhuanbu strawberry is produced in the central plain, at the confluence of the Yi, Wen and Meng rivers. The area is formed by Cenozoic Quaternary alluvial sediments, slope sediments and alluvial sediments, with flat terrain, fertile soil, good soil quality, deep soil layer and abundant water resources, and it is a key agricultural development area of the county.

2.2.2

Soil characteristics. In this area, the type of the soil is fluvial soil, and the pH of the soil is 6.5-7.1, slightly acidic, with unique natural conditions for the development of strawberry production. The soil is rich in nutrients. In the surface soil of the plain, the contents of organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium are 16-30, 113 (max. 201), 81.32 (max. 142.8) and 84.6 (max. 210) mg/kg, respectively. Good soil texture and rich nutrients are conducive to achieving high-quality and high-yield strawberries.

2.2.3

Hydrological conditions. The area belongs to the Huai River Basin, with 35 large and small rivers with a total length of 210 km. Among them, there are 9 rivers over 10 km in length. The Yi, Wen and Meng rivers are the main rivers. There are 7 small reservoirs, 31 ponds, 592 electromechanical irrigation wells, and 22 electrical irrigation stations in the territory. The water conservancy facilities in the territory are complete, the underground water source is sufficient, and the water is clear, without pollution. In case of drought, irrigation is feasible; and in case of logging, drainage is feasible. At the same time, there are no large-scale factories, "three wastes" emission sources or heavy metal pollution in the growing area of Zhuanbu strawberry.

2.2.4

Climate characteristics. It has a warm temperate semi-humid continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The weather warms rapidly in spring, is hot and humid in summer with abundant rainfall, and is sunny in autumn. The annual average temperature is 13.4 ℃, the average annual precipitation is 832.1 mm, the frost-free period is about 219 d, and the average annual sunshine duration is 2 275 h. The air is fresh, the light is sufficient, the temperature difference between day and night is large, and the light and heat resources are abundant, meeting the needs of strawberry growth and development.

2.3 Rich human history

Yinan County has a long history of growing strawberries. Strawberry cultivation was first introduced in the 1970s. At the very beginning, strawberry was planted in flower pots and courtyards for ornamental purposes, and occasionally planted in free corners of orchards. Till 1980, it was still planted sporadically, dominated by four-season strawberry. In 1984, Gao Guiming and other villagers in Shagou Village, Zhuanbu Town, introduced pineapple strawberry for open-field planting in the vineyard. According to the record of

Annals

of

Yinan

County

, in May, 1984, the Yinan County Farmers’ Vegetable Research Association was established, and the excellent varieties of vegetables and fruits such as strawberry were introduced and promoted. In 1985, Fengxiang was introduced, in 1986, Graydon was introduced, and in 1987, strawberry was planted in pieces. In 1989, the county’s development area was 15 ha, and the annual output of strawberry was 230 t. After 1990, the cultivation method changed from open-field border planting to open-field border planting covered with film, and the yield increased from 15 000 to 30 000 kg/ha. In 1991, strawberry cultivation in small arch sheds began to be explored. In May, 2012, the Yinan County Strawberry Planting Association was established in Zhuanbu Town. Currently, the cultivation methods of Zhuanbu strawberry include sunlight greenhouse cultivation, early spring plastic greenhouse cultivation, and open-field plastic film mulching cultivation. Strawberries are on the market from mid-to-late December to mid-to-late July. The party committee, government and business departments of Zhuanbu Town have made a comprehensive plan for the strawberry industry. With the town as the center, the 17 villages along the plains of the Yi, Wen, and Meng river basins in the south, east, and north areas mainly develop strawberry, and the construction of related service functional areas is equipped. More than 10 famous and high-quality varieties with strong adaptability, disease resistance and high quality have been introduced, and green production technologies such as greenhouse drip irrigation, strawberry dormancy control, and double reduction of pesticide and fertilizer have been promoted, providing strong support for the development of Zhuanbu strawberry industry.

2.4 Unique product quality

The unique natural ecological environment and specific production methods have created the excellent quality characteristics of Zhuanbu strawberry.

2.4.1

External sensory characteristics. Zhuanbu strawberry has uniform color, beautiful appearance, conical shape and uniform size. The average fruit weight is ≥ 31.5 g, and the maximum fruit weight is 50 g. The seeds are slightly concave on the surface of the fruit. The flesh is orange-red, sweet and sour and refreshing, with a unique flavor and a strong fragrance, deeply loved by consumers.

2.4.2

Intrinsic quality indicators. Zhuanbu strawberry is rich in nutrients. In fresh fruit, the contents of total acid, soluble solids, zinc, calcium and iron are ≤ 0.8%, ≥ 7.8%, zinc ≥ 0.7 mg/kg, ≥143 mg/kg, and ≥ 4.3 mg/kg, respectively. Therefore, Zhuanbu strawberry is an ideal healthy food.

2.4.3

Value and physical and chemical quality. Zhuanbu strawberry is rich in carotene and vitamin A. It can relieve night blindness, and has effects of maintaining the health of epithelial tissues, improving eyesight, nourishing liver, and promoting growth and development. It also contains dietary fiber, can promote the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract, promote the digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract, improve constipation, and prevent the occurrence of acne and intestinal cancer.

2.4.4

Safety requirements. Zhuanbu strawberry meets the standards for pollution-free agricultural products certified by the Ministry of Agriculture. Each batch of products must be tested before they go on the market. Each batch of products is inspected by the company’s internal inspectors, and unqualified products are not allowed to leave the park.

2.4.5

Relevant regulations on packaging and labeling. (i) Packaging. Packaging is performed in accordance with the specific standard requirements, and the product name, place of origin, trademark, batch, weight, production date, etc. are indicated. The production enterprise applies to the Yinan County Strawberry Planting Association, and after the product is inspected to be qualified, the product is allowed to be marked with the geographical indication of Zhuanbu strawberry and its pattern. The packaging material is clean, has no peculiar smell, and does not affect the quality of strawberries. The packaging should be firm, tidy, able to protect the quality of strawberries, and convenient for loading, unloading, storage and transportation. The packaging paper meets the requirements of GB 4806.8-2016. The packaging, storage and transportation pictorial marking comply with the requirements of GB/T 191-2008.

(ii) Transportation. The means of transportation should be clean, dry, odor-free, and pollution-free. During transportation, high moisture and exposure to rain and sunlight should be forbidden. During loading and unloading, the product should be handled carefully. Zhuanbu strawberry is strictly forbidden to mix and transport with toxic, peculiar smell, and easily polluted items.

(iii) Storage. The products should be stored in a clean, dry, cool, and odor-free special fresh-keeping warehouse. There should be no gas pollution around the warehouse.

3 Unique production method

3.1 Origin selection

The production of Zhuanbu strawberry should be carried out in a place that can be irrigated in case of drought and can be drained in case of waterlogging, has good soil condition and pollution-free irrigation water, is far away from factories and mines, and meets the national standards for the production base of pollution-free agricultural products in air, soil and water quality.

3.2 Variety selection

There are more than 10 varieties planted, such as Sweet Charlie, Star, Hongyan, Rose Fragrance, Dasai, and Meishisan. Among them, Star and Meishisan are the dominant.

3.3 Production management process

3.3.1

Nursing and planting. (i) Selection of mother plant. Robust plants that have vigorous growth, have no pests or diseases, have stolons, and meet the characteristics of the variety are selected as mother plants for nursing.

(ii) Planting time. Zhuanbu strawberry is usually planted from late September to early October.

(iii) Planting method. Ridge cultivation and ditch directional planting are adopted, two rows per ridge. The planting density is 135 000 plants/ha. The planting depth is based on the principle of "not exposing the roots and not burying the heart".

3.3.2

Greenhouse management. (i) Covering time. Solar greenhouses are usually covered in mid-to-late October, and other greenhouses begin to be covered in mid-November.

(ii) Film mulching. Film is usually mulched 10 d after the covering of the greenhouse. To prevent the breeding of weeds, black film is mulched. After mulching the film, it is broken at fixed points immediately to expose the seedlings.

(iii) Temperature control. After the strawberry has resumed growth, different temperature management should be adopted according to different growth stages. From greenhouse covering to the beginning of flowering, the temperature during the day is maintained at 25-30 ℃, and the temperature at night is maintained at 5-10 ℃. After flowering, the temperature during the day is preferably 25 ℃, not more than 30 ℃, the temperature at night should be above 5 ℃, and the ground temperature is 18-20 ℃; during the fruit expansion period, the daytime temperature is kept at 20-25 ℃, the ground temperature is 18-20 ℃, and the temperature at night is above 5 ℃, and during the harvest period, the temperature during the day should not be higher than 25 ℃, and the temperature at night is above 5 ℃.

(iv) Humidity control. During the growth period, ventilation is performed every day to reduce the humidity in the greenhouse. The relative humidity during the daytime during the flowering period should be maintained at 30%-50%, and during the fruiting period should be maintained at 50%-60%.

(v) Fertilizer and water management. Strawberry plants are irrigated once before covering the greenhouse and mulching film, respectively. In later time, irrigation is performed according to specific conditions in combination with top dressing. Top dressing depends on the seedling situation. Before flowering, in fruit expansion period, at the beginning of harvest period, in full harvest period and when the plants resume growth after harvest, top dressing is carried out once, respectively.

(vi) Auxiliary pollination. Strawberry is self-pollinated. In order to promote pollination and reduce deformed fruits, bees should be stocked in the greenhouse for auxiliary pollination. When 5% of the plants in the greenhouse bloom, bees are released for auxiliary pollination. Generally, 30 boxes of bees are released per hectare of solar greenhouse to make sure there is one bee on each strawberry to pollinate it. Bees should be released one week before flowering. The beehive is placed in the middle of the greenhouse, about 100 cm from the ground.

(vii) Prevention and control of diseases and pests. The principle of harmless prevention and control of agricultural prevention and control, physical prevention and control, and biological prevention and control first, supplemented by chemical prevention and control is adhered to. For chemical control, microbial pesticides and botanical pesticides are used, and the frequency of application is minimized. Natural enemies are protected and utilized to give full play to their natural control role. Bihu is applied to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases before flowering, during the fruit expansion period, and in the beginning of harvest to improve fruit quality. The use of highly toxic and high-residue pesticides is strictly prohibited.

3.4 Timely harvest

From flowering, fruit setting to berry coloring and softening, strawberry releases a unique fragrance, lasting for about 30 d. After the strawberry berries are ripe, they should be harvested and put on the market in batches. Picking should be carried out at 8:00-10:00 or 16:00-18:00. When picking, thumb and forefinger are used to pinch off the fruit stalk, with a little stalk, which is good for keeping fresh. In addition, handling and transportation should be gentle.

4 Industrial development measures

4.1 Speeding up the pace of updating new varieties

Taking the market as the guide, focusing on "efficiency, scale, characteristics", adjustments are made. Strawberry varieties with high yield, high quality, strong resistance, strong fragrance and large fruit type are introduced, screened and promoted actively, and the replacement of varieties is speeded up. According to different needs, different varieties suitable for fresh food, processing and long-distance transportation are promoted. Virus-free tissue culture seedlings are promoted vigorously to overcome the problem of degradation, thereby promoting the production of Zhuanbu strawberry to a new level.

4.2 Promoting the standardized production

In accordance with the development requirements of "high yield, high quality, high efficiency, ecological and safe", the standardized production technology of strawberry is promoted vigorously. For example, technical measures such as rational crop rotation, soil disinfection, increased application of organic fertilizers, and physical and biological control cane be adopted, and the dosage and frequency of use of chemical pesticides can be reduced, to vigorously develop production of strawberry. The quality inspection of strawberry products should be strengthened, and a sound quality traceability system is established to ensure the quality and safety of Zhuanbu strawberry products.

4.3 Improving the construction of the sales system

The construction of information network is speeded up, brand promotion is strengthened, direct sales of products and docking of farmers and supermarkets are strengthened to broaden sales channels and expand sales scope. A modern strawberry industry that integrates sightseeing, picking and leisure tourism is developed vigorously, to further improve the visibility, reputation and influence of Zhuanbu strawberry.