LYCHEE VARIETIES

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Litchi chinensis
FAMILY: Sapindaceae

Before leaving for Sri Lanka, Keith Chapman of D.P.I. Nambour, was kind enough to answer a brief questionnaire on lychees. It is only a temporary form, as Keith is preparing a paper on lychees, but it is not ready to go to print just yet. We are looking forward to the release of this report.

Q. Which variety is the most tropical?
A. In Queensland probably Tai Tso. (Kwai Mi).

Q. Which varieties are more suited to colder climates?
A. Wai Chi and No Mai Tsz.

Q. Which varieties have the heaviest crops (supposing they are suited to that area)?
A. Tai Tso (Qld - Kwai Mi).

Q. Which varieties are considered most commercial?
A. No Mai Tsz, Wai Chi, Feitsz Sien, Sovey Tong, Hak Yip, Kwai Mi, Sam Ut Heung.

Q. Which variety has the largest fruit?
A. Feitsz Sien.

Q. Which variety has the highest sugar content?
A. Probably Gee Kee or Kwai Mi. (Tai Tso).

Q. Which varieties have the best colours?
A. Gee Kee and Bengal.

Q. Which variety has the best flavour?
A . No Mai Tsz.

Q. Which variety has the largest seed?
A. Bengal.

Q. Which variety has the smallest seed?
A. Late flowering No Mai Tsz (Rogers or Salathiel) and consistent small seed.

Q. Which variety stands up to strong winds best?
A. Bengal.

Q. Which variety stands dry weather best?
A. Uncertain - hillsides in China, they often graft trees onto wild Shanshi litchi, to give better root system.

Q. Which variety is suited to sandy soil?
A. Uncertain.

Q. Which variety is suited to clay soils?
A. Uncertain - however, in China the best litchis are grown in deep, fine sands, near rivers.

Q. Which varieties are alternate year croppers?
A. Tai Tso, (Kwai Mi), Bengal.

Q. How much frost will they stand without damage?
A. - 3° to -4°C air.

Q. What are the main pests and diseases?
A. Macadamia flower caterpiller, macadamia nut borer, Erinose mite, fruit fly. Perhaps Rutherglen bug in N. Qld.

Q. Why is Kwa Luk (hanging green) held in such high esteem in China?
A. Historical and Medicinal. It is not a superior quality fruit such as Kwai Mi and No Mai Tsz.

Q. What should we call our Nth Qld. Kwai Mi?
A. Tai Tso.

Q. When should they be watered?
A. From fruit - set to maturation of harvest. Flush after harvest. (Keep comparatively dry during winter months.)

Q. How often do the chinese fertilize lychees?
A. 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after harvest. Only other times, fertilizing is by foliar application only, in low concentrations, e.g. 0.5% urea, 0.2% MgSO4, 0.2% Borax.

Q. What thickness of mulch is recommended for
a) heavy soils
b) light soils?
A. 2 to 3 inches is preferred on young, new-cropping trees.

Q. What treatment prolongs shelf-life?
A. Cool storage and/or hot benlate dip (1g/l) 52°C for 2 minutes, then pvc film wrap.

This information should answer some questions for members, whilst we await the official lychee report from Mr. Chapman.

DATE: March 1982

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