Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis (L.) Makino var.rosularism Tsen et Lee], in the botanical classification, belongs to Brassicaceae Brassica species Brassica non-heading cabbage subspecies A variant of T. truncatula, also known as T. truncatula, Taikoicai, Takicai, Heijia, etc., it is a biennial herbaceous plant. It is more cold-tolerant and uses dark green leaves as its product organs. Because the leaves are rich in vitamin C, it is called a "vitamin" vegetable and is favored by consumers.
The leaves of Wutaicai are dark green, rich in chlorophyll, and rich in calcium and other mineral nutrients and vitamins. The edible rate is as high as 95% and the nutritional value is high. Each 100g of fresh vegetables contains 92g of water, 3.0g of protein, 3.1g of carbohydrates, 0.4g of fat, and 0.8g of cellulose; the mineral nutrients contain 160 to 241 mg of calcium, 51 to 68 mg of phosphorus, 3.3 to 4.4 g of iron, and copper 0.111mg, selenium 2.39mg, zinc 0.306mg; vitamins contain carotene 2.63~3.50mg, vitamin C 75mg, niacin 0.9mg; in addition, every 100g of fresh vegetables can also provide 100 kilojoules of heat ("Chinese cabbage quality products" Vegetables, 2004). The leaves of Wutaicai are thick, soft and crisp. Especially after being exposed to low temperature, frost and snow, the soluble sugar content increases and the taste becomes sweeter and more delicious, making it very popular among consumers.
Wutai also has certain medicinal value. Regular consumption of Wutaicai can prevent constipation, enhance the body's ability to prevent and resist diseases, and make the skin healthy and toned. In terms of eating methods, it can be stir-fried, made into soups, served cold, pickled, and is an excellent side dish for cooking various meats, with good color, flavor and aroma.
Wutai vegetables are mostly cultivated in southern China. It can be produced and supplied year-round; it is usually planted in autumn and can be harvested and marketed around the Spring Festival. In recent years, cultivation has also begun to be introduced in the northern region, and the cultivation area has expanded. Wutaicai has wide adaptability, strong cold resistance, short growth period, high yield, easy planting, and requires less labor. It is a high-quality vegetable with great development prospects.
The germplasm resources of Wutaicai in China are relatively abundant, but there are few studies on them, and they still need to be comprehensively collected, systematically classified, identified and utilized.