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).

‘EePi No.1’, a new mid-ripening cultivar of chestnut (Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc.) was developed in 2000 by cross-pollinating two cultivars, viz., ‘Riheiguri’ and ‘Ganne’ at Korea National Institute of Forest Science. Line selection among the seedlings of ‘Riheiguri’ and ‘Ganne’ was carried out in 2007, followed by comprehensive evaluations of fruit morphological traits and tree growth characteristics conducted during 2008-2015. The harvest time of ‘EePi No.1’ was the first week of October. It is characterized by excellent nut quality, suitable for both raw consumption and processing. The average fruit weight was 24.0 g, which is significantly higher than that of the cultivar ‘Daebo’ (20.0 g). Moreover, the soluble solids content was 14.26%, and pellicle removability was 93.5%. This cultivar produces large, firm fruits with high sugar content, making it ideal for consumption. It is also characterized by excellent nut quality, suitable for both raw consumption and processing. Moreover, the easily peelable inner skin makes it ideal for processing and roasting, thereby enhancing its commercial value. These qualities are expected to bolster the diversification of income derived from forest products in the future (Registration No. 337).

The ‘Jangwon’ chestnut (Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc.) was released from Korean native chestnut trees by the Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI) to develop cultivars with desirable nut characteristics such as high sweetness and easy peeling in 2010. This cultivar was first selected from a natural population in 2001, and the preliminary trials for evaluation were carried out from 2007 to 2009. The harvest time of ‘Jangwon’ was the second week of September and the total yield of an 8-year-old tree was 3.9 kg. Also, ‘Jangwon’ was a suitable cultivar for making roasted peeled products because its soluble solid content was 17.5%, kernel hardness was 9.6 kg·cm², and pellicle removability was 98.6%, which were much higher than those of the control cultivar, Arima. Furthermore, this cultivar is suitable as a pollinator for the improvement of pellicle removability of other chestnut trees.