Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
commercial colour in December (NH), but due to the acidity harvest is usually
delayed to February-March.
'Minneola' tangelo trees are very vigorous, large, spreading, and productive in tem-
perate areas. The fruit is large and round, with a pronounced neck at the stem-end. The
peel is deep reddish orange, moderately adherent and finely pebbled. When grown in
a solid block develops seedless fruit, but when grown close to pollinating cultivars
fruit sets several seeds depending on the degree of cross-pollination; nevertheless, to
achieve optimum yields and adequate fruit size requires cross-pollination or gibberel-
lic acid sprays. Fruit reach commercial maturity in January-March in the NH.
'Orlando' tangelo has large vigorous trees. The leaves are large, broad and
cupped laminae. The fruit is medium to large in size, round, slightly oblate, and
slightly necked at the stem-end. The rind is light orange, very thin and moderately
tightly adhering, not easy to peel. The pulp is tender, juicy, very sweet, but rather
insipid flavour with low acidity. Both 'Minneola' and “Orlando”, require cross-
pollination to obtain adequate yields and fruit size. Fruit reach maturity in Decem-
ber-January in the NH.
'Afourer', also named 'Nadorcott', is of unknown origin, but originated from
seed from the 'Murcott' tree in Morocco. It might be a nucellar selection, a bud
mutation of 'Murcott' or, most probably, a 'Murcott' x Clementine natural hybrid.
The trees are very vigorous, of upright growth habit, tending to alternate bearing. It
is widely propagated in Morocco and, in a lesser extends, in California (USA), Uru-
guay, and Spain where law limits the number of trees planted. Fruit is medium size
and slightly flattened. Seedless when isolated from pollinators, but is sensitive to
cross-pollination with 'Clementine', 'Nova', and 'Fortune' mandarin, and also with
lemon, grapefruit and common sweet orange. The rind is deep orange-coloured,
fairly fine and thin, easy to peel, and with the albedo characteristically coloured.
The flesh is very juicy and sweet, with high sugar content and good acidity level.
Fruit reaches commercial maturity in mid to late February in the NH.
Grapefruit
The origin of grapefruit (pomelo, toronja) is uncertain, but there are some evidences
that seeds were introduced to Barbados by the early settlers and introduced into
Florida (USA) at the beginning of nineteenth century from Cuba, Jamaica or Ba-
hamas. Grapefruit distribution is more limited than sweet oranges and mandarins.
Grapefruit trees are very vigorous and have a spreading-type growth. Leaves
are very large, ovate, with serrated margins, with a large and winged petiole. Fruit
is the largest of any commercial citrus cultivars. The sweetest, juiciest and most
bitter-free fruit is grown in semi-tropical summer rainfall regions. In the cooler drier
areas fruit has thicker rind, lower sugar and high acid level in the juice and to have
some bitterness. Fruit quality improves and juice acid content decrease as the fruit
remains on the tree.
Grapefruit cultivars are divided into two groups according to peel and flesh co-
lour. The white or common cultivars of which only 'Marsh' (Fig.
6.1f
) is of any
