Initial production and fruit quality of fifty-seven sweet orange varieties on four rootstocks in southern state of Bahia

Abstract

Abstract Prior knowledge of scion/rootstock combinations is essential for establishing appropriate citrus orchard management strategies. The objective of this work was to assess the initial yield and fruit quality among 228 scion/rootstock combinations set up in the municipality of Ibirapuã, extreme south of the state of Bahia in 2015. Harvests were carried out from April to August 2019, when trees reached 4 years of age. Number, total mass and cross-sectional diameter of fruits, productive efficiency, pulp yield, soluble solids content, titratable acidity and SS/AT ratio were evaluated. Statistical difference for all characteristics related to production and fruit quality regarding factors studied and their combinations was observed. Among ‘Pera’ orange clones, ‘Pera CNPMF A-15’/‘San Diego’ citrandarin and ‘Pera CNPMF D-3’/‘Riverside’ citrandarin combinations stood out. ‘Sincorá’ orange, in combination with ‘San Diego’ and ‘Indio’ citrandarins presented potential to be recommended to producers who wish to anticipate their harvests, as well as ‘Natal Ipeal’ orange in combination with ‘Indio’ citrandarin, in the sense of postponing them.