Development of a New Cabbage Variety Suited for Low-Altitude Summer Cultivation
Deep and Spreading Roots Enhance Resistance to Climate Stress
Pilot Cultivation Site Established in Goesan-gun, Chungbuk, Covering 3,300 Square Meters
CJ CheilJedang announced on September 23 that it has succeeded in developing a new cabbage variety called 'Green Rose,' which can be cultivated in low-altitude areas below 400 meters above sea level during the summer. The company began research on this project in 2018, marking the first time such a variety has been developed in Korea.
The company expects that, as highland cultivation areas decrease due to climate change, securing cabbage that can be stably grown in lowland regions will help resolve supply instability during the summer.
A panoramic view of CJ CheilJedang's 'Green Rose' pilot cultivation site located in Goesan County, Chungbuk. Photo by CJ CheilJedang
Typically, cabbage grows best in cool temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius and is mainly cultivated in highland areas such as Gangwon Province at altitudes of 600 to 1,100 meters during the summer. However, due to the increasing impact of climate change, there is a growing trend in summer cabbage cultivation areas like Taebaek, Gangwon Province, where farmers are either abandoning cabbage farming altogether or switching to other crops such as regular cabbage, resulting in a decline in production.
'Green Rose' forms heads stably even in temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius, and its deep roots make it resistant to climate stresses such as heat waves, heavy rain, and drought. The variety was named because its leaves at harvest resemble rose buds. According to the company, it is also suitable for use in kimchi production.
Last year, CJ CheilJedang completed performance verification of 'Green Rose' at a 3,300-square-meter pilot cultivation site (approximately 200 meters above sea level) in Goesan-gun, Chungbuk, and also conducted tests by applying it to kimchi products. The company is in the process of applying for a patent for 'Green Rose' and plans to produce some Bibigo kimchi products using cabbages harvested this year.
Lim Junghyun, team leader at CJ CheilJedang, said, "Amid growing concerns that cabbage could disappear altogether due to intensifying global warming, we developed 'Green Rose' using CJ CheilJedang's differentiated technology. By gradually expanding the cultivation area and production volume of 'Green Rose,' we aim to progressively replace summer cabbage demand, thereby ensuring stable product supply and helping to increase farmers' income."
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