YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF 'OLINDA VALENCIA' TREES GROWN ON NINE ROOTSTOCKS IN SAUDI ARABIA

摘要

A long-term study was carried out to evaluate the horticultural adaptability and performance of 'Olinda Valencia' sweet orange trees on nine commercial rootstocks in the Najran area of Saudi Arabia. Fruit yield, fruit size, individual fruit weight, peel thickness, percent juice, soluble solids, and acids were measured. Over the seven-year production period, trees on rough lemon (RL), 'Volkamer' lemon (VL), and Citrus mac-rophylla (CM) were the most productive and trees on 'Swingle' citrumelo (SC) and'Cleopatra' mandarin (Cleo) were the least productive. Trees on sour orange (SO), 'Carrizo' citrange (CC), Citrus Taiwanica (CT), and Amblycarpa (Amb) were intermediate in fruit production. The greatest fruit individual weight and largest fruit were found on trees budded on VL and CM, while the lowest fruit weight and smallest fruit were found on trees budded on Cleo and SO. Trees on SC had the highest juice content and those on RL had the lowest juice content. Fruit from trees on CC accumulated the highest soluble solids and fruit from trees on CM and CT accumulated the lowest soluble solids, while fruit from trees on SC had the highest acid content and fruit from trees on VL and CT had the lowest acid content. Overall, trees on vigorous rootstocks (RL, VL, CM) performed better and were more productive than trees on other rootstocks. Trees on SC and Cleo performed the poorest.