Less Is More: A Hard Way to Get Potential Dwarfing Hybrid Rootstocks for Valencia Sweet Orange

Danilo Pereira Costa, Eduardo Sanches Stuchi, Eduardo Augusto Girardi, Alécio Souza Moreira, Abelmon da Silva Gesteira, Mauricio Antonio Coelho Filho, Carlos Alberto da Silva Ledo, André Luiz Vanucci da Silva, Helton Carlos de Leão, Orlando Sampaio Passos and Walter dos Santos Soares Filho
Additional contact information
Danilo Pereira Costa: Post-Graduation Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz—UESC, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, Salobrinho, Ilhéus 45662-900, Brazil
Eduardo Sanches Stuchi: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
Eduardo Augusto Girardi: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
Alécio Souza Moreira: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
Abelmon da Silva Gesteira: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
Mauricio Antonio Coelho Filho: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
Carlos Alberto da Silva Ledo: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
André Luiz Vanucci da Silva: Rua João Pessoa, nº 533, Centro, Matão 15990-020, Brazil
Helton Carlos de Leão: José Marques Pinheiro Filho, nº 191, Jardim Maracanã, Araraquara 14802-480, Brazil
Orlando Sampaio Passos: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil
Walter dos Santos Soares Filho: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Rua Embrapa-sn, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, Brazil

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: As in several fruit crops, citrus trees with decreased size allow for a higher planting density, which may lead to higher productivity and facilitate operations such as harvesting and spraying. The use of dwarfing rootstocks is one of the most feasible methods for tree size control, but few commercial varieties are available to date. In this work, the long-term performance of Valencia sweet orange grafted onto 51 hybrid citrus rootstocks was evaluated in rainfed cultivation at 6.0 m × 2.5 m tree spacing in Northern São Paulo State, Brazil. About a third of the evaluated hybrids were classified as dwarfing and semi-dwarfing rootstocks, that is, respectively inducing a relative canopy volume of <40% and 40–60% compared with the standard rootstock, the Rangpur lime Santa Cruz selection. The production efficiency and soluble solids concentration were conversely related to the canopy volume. Three citrandarins of Sunki mandarin (TSKC) × Flying Dragon trifoliate orange (TRFD) were grouped within the most productive dwarfing rootstocks. Other hybrids that expressively decreased tree size were mainly sensitive to drought; therefore, the mean fruit yield was low, indicating the need for irrigation, albeit fruit quality was high. Estimated productivity on the selected TSKC × TRFD rootstocks would double to an average of 40 t·ha −1 ·year −1 if tree spacing was adjusted to the smaller tree size. Although the HTR-208 citrandarin and the LCR × CTSW-009 citrumelimonia were as vigorous as the Santa Cruz Rangpur lime, they induced an outstanding fruit yield due to their highest tolerance to drought and, hence, can be considered for rainfed cultivation at wider tree spacing.

Keywords: Citrus spp.; Poncirus trifoliata; drought tolerance; fruit quality; fruit yield; graft compatibility; tree size control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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