This study reports the breeding history and main characteristics of a new chestnut (Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc.) cultivar, 'EePi No. 2', developed by the National Institute of Forest Science in Korea.'EePi No. 2' originated from a cross between 'Riheiguri' and 'Ganne' in 2000, and was first selected in 2007, followed by secondary selection from 2008 to 2011.From 2012 to 2015, a series of stability tests for fruit traits were conducted, confirming its distinct characteristics.The cultivar was used for plant variety protection in November 2015 (Application No. 2015-25) and was officially registered in January 2024 under Registration No. 338.'EePi No. 2' is classified as a mid-to late-maturing cultivar, with a harvest period from late September to early October.The average nut weight is 30.1 g, with a soluble solid content of 12.35%, and the pellicle removal rate was 90.5%.Compared to the control cultivar 'Daebo,' 'EePi No. 2' produces larger nuts with superior pellicle removability, making it suitable for roasted chestnuts and fresh consumption.These results suggest that 'EePi No. 2' is a promising new cultivar that can contribute to the production of high-quality chestnuts and the expansion of consumer markets (Registration No. 338).
Yoo et al. (Sun,) studied this question.