芥藍(Brassica oleracea L.var. Alboglabra group)為十字花科蔬菜,在臺灣可分為葉用及花薹用,由於留種容易,臺灣芥藍品種多以地方品種為主,且為異花授粉易與甘藍類蔬菜自然雜交,因此品種整齊度往往參差不齊。臺中區農業改良場自2002年進行引種與品種評估作業,選出和美大花地方品種,2003年開始以母系混合選拔及混合選拔法進行純化,其後數年進行品系試驗、區域試驗及性狀檢定調查,最後確定本品種具花薹徑大且單株重高之特性,本品種為開放授粉固定品種,種子深褐色、千粒重平均3.8 g;子葉綠色、中等大小,胚軸帶紫紅色;株高中等、葉色青綠,葉片大小中等,葉形為尖葉,葉面微捲,葉柄細、葉緣無缺刻,葉面臘粉少,托葉小;花白色,主要作為花薹用,適收期花薹徑平均21.6 cm,薹重平均310.4 g,定植後57天可採收。花薹全可溶性醣含量為286.4 mg.gdw^(-1),葉片粗纖維含量為10.3%,品質優良適於臺灣中部平地8~10月定植,11月定植者有小株抽薹之虞,2011年9月本品種取得薹用芥藍「臺中1號」品種權。
Chinese Kale (Brassica oleracea L.var. Alboglabra) is one kind of crucifer vegetables. Its flower stalk and leaf are mainly edible parts used in Taiwan. As easy to flower and propagated by seeds most varieties are local varieties. Chinese kale is an out-cross plant and easy to cross with other cole crops to result in uncertainty of quality. Taichung DARES has made an effort to purify and select elite lines from local varieties from 2002. Maternal line selection and mass selection were conducted first 2003 to 2007. Subsequently, line test, regional test, and DUS test, yield, flower stalk performance and taste quality of selected lines were evaluated. Finally, an outstanding line 9186-7-4-5 was selected and named as 'Taichung No. 1'. 'Taichung No. 1' is an open pollinated variety with the characters of average weight 3.8 g per 1,000 seeds, dark brown coat, green cotyledons, purple-red hypocotyl, medium size of plant and leaf, medium plant height, green leaves, broad ovate shape of blade with small petiole, medium degree of blistering, absent serration of leaf margin, weak waxiness and small stipule. This white flower variety is mainly edible for its flower stalk. The flower head is 21.6 cm in diameter and 310.4 g in weight. The harvest date is around 57 days after transplanting. The optimum transplanting time on lowland central Taiwan is from Aug. to Oct. Transplanting after Nov. may have young plants bolting risk. The total soluble saccharides of 'Taichung No. 1' is higher in flower head and crude fiberis lower in leaf comparing to local variety of 'Hemei'. The variety right of 'Taichung No. 1' was approved in September, 2011.