The Niigata Prefecture has cultivated a new variety of Japanese pear called "Shinpekki." Its distinguishing features include its large size, weighing approximately twice as much as the original variety "Nijisseiki," and its intense sweetness. This new variety does not require manual pollination and is less prone to the "black spot disease" that causes discoloration on the surface of the fruit, which facilitates labor-saving for farmers. The Niigata Prefecture plans to revitalize local agriculture and increase the appeal of its agricultural products by investing in this new variety.
This pear was born in the Niigata Prefecture and is adorned in a beautiful shade of green, hence its name "Shinpekki." The mother plant is the "Rachel" variety cultivated by Tottori University, while the father plant is the "Hiratsuka 16" (also known as Kaori) cultivated by the Fruit Tree Experimental Station of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. It is said to be the first new variety of Japanese pear to be cultivated in the Niigata Prefecture since 2011.
The Niigata Agricultural Research Institute's Horticulture Research Center initiated the hybridization of Shinpekki in 2002, resulting in the production of 58 seeds. In 2009, one individual was selected for its ease of cultivation and superior quality, and its stable quality was confirmed through both the original tree and grafted trees in 2013. In 2015, seedlings were planted in seven farms within the Niigata Prefecture and underwent five years of local cultivation experiments. The variety registration procedure based on Japan's "Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act" was initiated in 2021.
This new variety has three main characteristics. The first is its large size and beautiful appearance, weighing 600 grams and exceeding Nijisseiki's 350 grams by over 1.7 times. It ripens from mid-September to early October, during the peak season for pears, and is highly noticeable.
The second is its high quality. The sugar content of this new variety is 13.6%, higher than that of Nijisseiki (11.1%) and even higher than that of the red pear "Akizuki" (13.3%), with less acidity. The Niigata Agricultural Research Institute's Horticulture Research Center stated that it is "obviously sweet with high taste evaluation." Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi also praised its taste, describing it as "crispy, juicy, and sweet."
The third is its ease of cultivation and production stability. In the Niigata Prefecture, aging farmers and labor shortages are becoming increasingly serious issues. The Shinpekki variety can undergo autonomous pollination and does not require manual pollination, making it easier to bear fruit even in unfavorable spring weather conditions.
According to the Niigata Prefecture's Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Department, "In general, a pear's pistil does not have the ability to accept self-pollination, but we have discovered branches that have lost this function due to mutation and can result in self-pollination." It is said that this type of branch was increased through grafting and succeeded in mass production.
Looking at the fruiting rate in 2020 from the Horticulture
Research Center, the artificially pollinated "Fusui" was only 20.4%,
while Shinpekki was as high as 81.1%. It can reduce labor in the spring and has
strong disease resistance, making stable production possible. The Niigata
Prefecture hopes to promote the introduction of this new variety to farmers by
integrating pear and rice cultivation.
Since the Edo period (1603-1867), Niigata Prefecture has been famous for its production of Japanese pears. This is because the local climate during the pear growing season (April to October) provides long hours of sunlight which are conducive to growth. In 1942, Niigata Prefecture was the leading producer of pears in Japan. The Horticulture Research Center at the Niigata Agricultural Research Institute believes that the people have a deep-rooted demand for green pears and thus have been promoting their development.
As of 2019, Niigata Prefecture's supply of Japanese pears ranks 9th in Japan, behind the 2nd place of Western pears. This is the result of the cultivation of new varieties such as "Shinmei" and "Shinou" since 2011, both of which were registered in 2013. With the emergence of new varieties such as "Shinpeki" since then, Niigata Prefecture hopes to promote the revitalization of agriculture.
The supply of seedlings is scheduled to begin in the 2023
fiscal year, with formal sales to commence in 2027. Governor Hanabusa stated
that he "hopes to introduce Shinpeki to society and further enhance the
attractiveness of Niigata Prefecture's agriculture".
