Citrus Variety and Rootstock Evaluation in Western Australia

By Kevin LaceyJune 2009

Two variety evaluation streams1. Rapid evaluation of public varieties in

collaboration with growers No industry funding but grower support in maintaining sites

2. Auscitrus trial of patented and public varieties HAL funded, Secure site – no public access, controlled release of information, grower maintained

What is measured?

Fruit quality: size, peelability, seed numbers, rind thickness, colour development, juice content, sugar and acid levels

Phenology: bud break, flowering, fruit drop, cell division, cell expansion, colour break

Maturity timelines: harvest period, potential fruit hang time

Public variety evaluation sites

West GinginF & J Taddei Nominees

Bindoon Niela Citrus

Wokalup WA College of Agriculture, Wokalup campus

Recently introduced public varieties

Caffin (clementine)Nour (clementine mandarin)Sidi Aissa (clementine mandarin)Orogrande (clementine mandarin)Primosole (mandarin)Tarocco Meli (blood orange)Tarocco Rosso (blood orange)

Sidi Aissa

Nour

Orogrande clementine grafted Feb 07

Clementines at Bindoon 15th May 09

Caffin Nour

Nules – industry standard Brix° = 12.0 Sugar/acid = 11.5

Orogrande Sidi Aissa

Brix° = 13.4 Sugar/acid = 12.0

Brix° = 11.9 Sugar/acid = 11.9

Brix° = 13.0 Sugar/acid = 12.8

Brix° = 12.0 Sugar/acid = 11.0

Clementines - colour development Bindoon 2009

1 = poor, 5 = excellent

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

10-A

pr

17-A

pr

24-A

pr1-M

ay8-M

ay

15-M

ay

22-M

ay

29-M

ay5-J

un

12-Ju

n

19-Ju

n

Col

our s

core

OrograndeNourSidi AissaCaffinNules

Clementines - maturity timelines Bindoon 2009

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

25-M

ar1-A

pr8-A

pr

15-A

pr

22-A

pr

29-A

pr6-M

ay

13-M

ay

20-M

ay

27-M

ay3-J

un

10-Ju

n

17-Ju

n

Suga

r Aci

d R

atio

OrograndeNourSidi AissaCaffinNules

Primosole mandarin

Few seedsEarly (mid April)LargeDry (internal granulation)

Tarocco Rosso blood orange

Ouch!!

Rootstock demostration sites

West Gingin and Bindoon

Planted in 1995 and 2004

Demonstrate the importance of selecting the right rootstock for individual sites/locations

Demonstration sites have different soil types

Differences in tree size, yield, fruit quality maturity etc

West Gingin harvest

Newhall on Trifoliata

Newhall on Volkamerianna

Fruit quality

Fruit quality - Sugar Acid Ratio West Gingin 2003

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

12-A

pr

14-A

pr

16-A

pr

18-A

pr

20-A

pr

22-A

pr

24-A

pr

26-A

pr

28-A

pr

30-A

pr2-M

ay4-M

ay6-M

ay8-M

ay

10-M

ay

12-M

ay

14-M

ay

16-M

ay

18-M

ay

20-M

ay

22-M

ay

Suga

r Aci

d R

atio

CarizzoTroyer Rough LemonSwingleSweet OrangeVolkaSunki Trifoliata

Fruit quality - Citric acid g/L West Gingin 2003

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

12-A

pr

14-A

pr

16-A

pr

18-A

pr

20-A

pr

22-A

pr

24-A

pr

26-A

pr

28-A

pr

30-A

pr2-M

ay4-M

ay6-M

ay8-M

ay

10-M

ay

12-M

ay

14-M

ay

16-M

ay

18-M

ay

20-M

ay

22-M

ay

Aci

d g/

L

CarizzoTroyer Rough LemonSwingleSweet OrangeVolkaSunki Trifoliata

Fruit quality - % Juice West Gingin 2003

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

12-A

pr

14-A

pr

16-A

pr

18-A

pr

20-A

pr

22-A

pr

24-A

pr

26-A

pr

28-A

pr

30-A

pr2-M

ay4-M

ay6-M

ay8-M

ay

10-M

ay

12-M

ay

14-M

ay

16-M

ay

18-M

ay

20-M

ay

22-M

ay

% J

uice

CarizzoTroyer Rough LemonSwingleSweet OrangeVolkaSunki Trifoliata

Cumulative yield 2000-2009 West Gingin

0100200300400500600700800

Trifoliata

Sweet Orange

SwingleSunki

Carrizo

Troyer

Volkameriana

Rough Lemon

Yield t/ha

Yield kg/tree

050

100150200250300350400

Trifolia

ta

Sweet O

range

Swingle

Sunki

Carrizo

Troyer

Rough

Lemon

Volkameri

ana

Yield t/ha

Yield kg/tree

Cumulative yield 2000-2004 West Gingin

Average fruit weights West Gingin 2000-09

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Trifolia

ta

Swingle

Sunki

Sweet O

range

Carrizo

Troyer

Volkameria

na

Rough L

emon

Ave

rage

frui

t wt (

g)

Average all years

Bindoon Rootstock demostration Planted 2004

Flying Dragon Trifoliata C35 Swingle Citrumello

05

101520253035

Flying D

ragon

Cox hyb

rid

Trifolia

ta

Yuma C

itrang

e

Swingle

C35 Citra

nge

Rough L

emon

Cleopatr

a

Troyer C

itrang

e

Volkameria

na

Yield t/ha

Yield kg/tree

Cumulative yield 2008-2009 Bindoon

Average fruit weights Bindoon 2008-09

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Cleopatr

a

Cox hyb

rid

Flying D

ragon

Volkameria

na

Troyer C

itrang

e

Rough L

emon

Swingle

Trifolia

ta

C35 Citra

nge

Yuma C

itrang

e

Ave

rage

frui

t wt (

g)

Average all years

Performance under your soil and climatic conditions.

Resistance to pests and diseases.

Compatibility with the variety that you are planting.

Positive impact they have on fruit yield and quality.

Rootstocks: things to consider

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