Trifoliata hybrids rootstocks for 'Lane Late' navel orange in Spain

Abstract

Yield was weighed during the first nine harvests, fruit quality was determined in the last three. Pre-harvest fruit-drop was controlled for the 4 th until 9 th harvests. The trees of 'Lane Late' navel budded on Cleopatra mandarin were the tallest (2.5 m) and F&A 418 (1.6 m) the shortest of all rootstocks tested. Trees on 030131 hybrid and Carrizo citrange rootstocks had the highest mean yield (81.2 and 80.3 kg per tree per year respectively), while trees on F&A 418 produced the lowest mean yield (22.3 kg per tree per year). Trees on 030131, 020324 and 030212 had the highest yield efficiency as total cumulative yield per cubic meter of canopy volume (62.1, 58.7 and 55.9 kg m -3 respectively) whereas trees on 030127, F&A 418 and Cleopatra mandarin had lower yield efficiencies (45.0, 44.4 and 38.6 kg m -3 , respectively). Pre-harvest fruitdrop was lower in trees grafted on Cleopatra mandarin (24.62 %) and on 030212 (26.61 %), and was also low on F&A 418 (27.76 %), 020324 (28.14 %) and 030230 (29.18 %) rootstocks. Trees on Carrizo citrange and 030127 experienced important fruit-drop (40.24 % and 38.27 % respectively). Trees on F&A 418 had the highest fruit weight and fruit size whereas trees on 030118 induced the lowest ones. The ripeness index was the highest on F&A 13 (18.3) and lowest on F&A 418 (15.3), 030212 (15.3).

Influence of Rootstock on Citrus Tree Growth: Effects on Photosynthesis and Carbohydrate Distribution, Plant Size, Yield, Fruit Quality, and Dwarfing Genotypes

“…At the far end, the low yield of trees on Cleopatra mandarin means very poor yield efficiency. In 'Lane late' trees, the best yield efficiency corresponded to the trees on C. macrophylla, and the lowest yield-efficient trees were those grafted onto Gou Tou, Cleopatra mandarin and FA 418, while C. volkameriana offered an intermediate yield efficiency [73,77]. Similar results have been reported on 'Navelina' orange, who found that the trees on C. volkameriana had similar yield efficiency, but lower yield efficiency on Cleopatra mandarin [57].…”

“…This tendency has also been observed in 'Navelina' orange trees grafted onto C. volkameriana rootstocks [57]. Some new rootstocks obtained in the breeding programme carried out at the IVIA, in particular rootstocks FA 5 and FA 13, presented an intermediate size [57], while smaller trees were grated onto FA 418 [77]. In mandarine scions, C. volkameriana also conferred the largest size to 'Clausellina' trees compared with Carrizo citrange [78], the most commonly used rootstock in Spain.…”

“…However, Cleopatra mandarin produces a very reduced number of fruits, which is typical of its slow growth tendency in the first few years after planting, and trees grafted onto this genotype do not reach full production until year 8 [76]. Another exception is FA 418, which is considered to anticipate bear fruit [77]. Table 1 also lists the yield per tree associated with the main Citrus rootstocks.…”

“…Thus, C-13 ranks the highest for fruit drop, with values from 51% to 85% when used as a rootstock for 'Navelate' orange, but with values from 40% to 65% when grafted onto Carrizo citrange, Cleopatra mandarin and C. volkameriana [76]. In 'Lane Late' orange, Cleopatra mandarin and new hybrids FA 030230, FA 020321, FA 418 and FA 030212 showed low pre-harvest drop, while Carrizo citrange, FA 030127 and FA 13 obtained a fruit drop value above 36% [77].…”

“…The ABI analysis, which reflects the difference in yield between two consecutive harvests, shows important new information since it normally differs among rootstocks. Some authors have described that there are some rootstocks which increase the alternate bearing of yields [77], and that this effect is extremely harmful in the commercial varieties that already present this defect. This is the case of the 'Verna' lemon variety, which develops a very alternate behaviour [84].…”