A half-day jujube workshop with an optional field trial tour is set for March 20 at Texas A&M University’s Horticulture/Forest Science Building, Room 224, 495 Horticulture Road, College Station.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service event is led by Mengmeng Gu, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist and professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
The workshop will run from 1-5 p.m. and, weather permitting, will include a jujube field trial tour. The cost is $125 per person, or $500 for a group registration of five people. Preregistration is required at tx.ag/Jujube22, and the workshop is limited to 35 participants.
Jujube history, benefits
With the scientific name Ziziphus jujuba, jujube are also known as red date, Chinese date and Chinese jujube. The small, sweet fruit has a texture that is apple-like. They can be eaten fresh, candied, canned, juiced or dried like dates.
The drought-tolerant tree has been cultivated for 4,000 years and is a major fruit crop in many parts of the world. It flowers and fruits on its current year’s growth, and the yield isn’t affected by the previous year’s conditions. With no major pests or disease concerns, the jujube is an attractive fruit crop option for the southern U.S., said Gu.
Workshop experts, material covered
The workshop will cover the benefits and basics of growing jujube compared to other fruit crops in Texas. Jujube grafting techniques will be illustrated using recently grafted container plants.
Gu will be joined by guest speaker Shengrui Yao, Ph.D., New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service fruit specialist, via Zoom.
“Dr. Yao is a nationally renowned jujube researcher who will be discussing her jujube cultivar trials in north, central and south New Mexico, and she has a lot of cultivars,” Gu said.
All attendees will receive a door prize of a big jujube tree. Choices include Chico, Contorted, GA 866, Honey Jar, Lang, Li, Shanxi Li and Sugar Cane varieties. Gu said the trees are 6-10 feet tall, and will be awarded first come, first served.
