Climate variables effect on fruiting pattern of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour × C. deliciosa Tenora) grown at different agro-climatic regions

Abstract

Kinnow orchards grown in different agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan, namely Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari districts, were selected to assess the effect of climate variables on fruit-bearing patterns. Experiment was laid out in RCBD while selecting identical features Kinnow plants and labeled twigs at analogous canopy positions in all three sites. Temperature was reported higher in TTS and Vehari areas, while relative humidity in Sargodha accounted for different levels of agrometeorological indices by computing more variations in warm districts. Climate variables influenced fruit-bearing habits and vegetative growth trend in all three flushes while recording heavy fruit-bearing plants during on-year and light fruit-bearing in off-year at Vehari. Similarly, three vegetative flushes were recorded unevenly in all three sites due to different fruit-bearing patterns induced by climate variables. Harvesting pattern of orchards began earlier in Sargodha, where maximum orchards were harvested before new flowering to add evenness to fruiting habits during on & off-years. In warm conditions, fruit ripening arrived in the peak of winter and mostly domestic market-driven harvesting resulted in late start of fruit picking with more erratic fruit-bearing habits. Both physiological and pathological fruit drops have been significantly affected by climate variables with a higher degree of physiological drop in warm regions and pathological effects in the humid conditions of Sargodha on heavy fruit-bearing plants. Fruit yield and grading quality were also affected in both seasons by showing more asymmetrical trend in yield and fruit grading in warm areas of TTS and Vehari due to an irregular fruiting pattern compared to Sargodha. From now on, the climate variables of the three sites directly influenced the fruiting patterns, vegetative flushes, fruit drops, yields and grades of Kinnow mandarin.

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“…Citrus fruits account for almost 40% of the total amount of fruits harvested in Pakistan, where they are grown on an area of 199,400 hectares with a yearly production of approximately 2.29 million tons [ 42 ]. Punjab province produces more than 95% of citrus, with the Kinnow variety accounting for 70% of that total [ 43 ]. However, throughout the remaining regions of the globe, sweet orange varieties account for more than 70% of the market, owing to a wider range of types from early to late ripening and fewer seeds per fruit [ 44 ].…”

“…In Pakistan, the whole scenario of fruit cultivation is dominated by citrus with a large area and production [ 36 ]. Punjab accounts for 75% of the total production of citrus fruit in Pakistan [ 43 , 47 ]. About 33% of the total citrus fruit produced is processed commercially [ 48 ].…”

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“…Moreover, environmental factors including temperature, humidity and vapour pressure are crucial in determining plant health. In a case study involving Kinnow orchards across distinct agro‐ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan, climate variables such as temperature and humidity were observed to impact plant health (Nawaz et al ., 2021). In olive tree orchards, analysing the temporal behaviour concerning water uptake rate and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) underscores the significance of these variables as key parameters for improving irrigation efficiency (El Hajj et al ., 2023).…”