A Decade-Long Quantitative–Qualitative Characterization of 18 Lemon Cultivars

Abstract

Together with lime, lemon is recognized as the third most extensively cultivated citrus species worldwide, trailing only behind orange and mandarin. The enhancement in the economic value of lemons as a valuable resource in Southern Italy depends by the competitiveness of local lemon production in both domestic and international markets. This necessitates conducting a comprehensive study that thoroughly explores the available indigenous germplasm at the local and national levels. This study aims to identify the most promising Sicilian and Campanian cultivars that are well suited for both fresh fruit consumption and the production of processed goods. This re-study assumes even greater importance considering the ongoing climate changes, as environmental stresses significantly impact the ripening process and the timing of fruit development. Our study has highlighted a notable diversity among the 18 investigated lemon cultivars, particularly highlighting specific cultivars that possess desirable attributes for fresh consumption. The cultivars that showed the greatest cumulative production over the 10 years of the study were Erice with 467.89 kg/tree and Femminello Siracusano 2KR with 408.44 kg. Notably, cultivars like Segesta, Erice, and Kamarina have exhibited higher percentages of juice content ranging from 27.30% to 31.08%. These cultivars show great potential for abundant juice content and optimal acidity levels for direct consumption. On the other hand, cultivars characterized by enhanced yield, such as Femminello Siracusano 2KR, Femminello Fior d’Arancio m79, and Erice, may prove to be particularly well suited to produce processed goods. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into some qualitative parameters of lemon cultivars, important either for fresh consumption or for transformed products.