Flowering, Fruit Set and Yield Characters of Different Sweet Orange Varieties

Abstract

Flowering, fruit set percentage, yield characters of different sweet orange varieties are compared at All India Coordinated Research Project on Tropical Fruits (Citrus), Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola (Maharashtra). The present investigation was carried out in Ambebahar season. First flowering was observed on trees of Hamlin and Last flowering observed on Valencia late variety. Maximum days required for flowering to fruit set was in Valencia late (32.72 day), minimum duration (24.18 days) for fruit set was in Hamlin. More number of flowers per meter shoot (138.83) and fruit set percentage (37.58%), maximum yield (32.75 kg/plant) recorded in variety Valencia late, less number of flowers (95.50) and fruit set (19.60%) minimum yield (10.12 kg/plant) recorded in variety Pera.

Full text

Research Paper
Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences
5(6): 1115-1117, November-December (2014)
ISSN: 0976-1675 https:
//
www.rjas.org DI: 2048-0606-2014-295
Flowering, Fruit Set and Yield Characters of Different Sweet Orange Varieties
Polu Parameshwar, P S Joshi, Anil Raghunath Kamble and Ramkumar Dewangan
Department of Horticulture,
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeet, Akola - 444 104, Maharashtra, India
e-mail: paripolu@gmail.com
Received: 06 June 2014; Revised accepted: 14 August 2014
A B S T R A C T
Flowering, fruit set percentage, yield characters of different sweet orange varieties are compared at All India
Coordinated Research Project on Tropical Fruits (Citrus), Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola
(Maharashtra). The present investigation was carried out in Ambebahar season. First flowering was observed on
trees of Hamlin and Last flowering observed on Valencia late variety. Maximum days required for flowering to fruit
set was in Valencia late (32.72 day), minimum duration (24.18 days) for fruit set was in Hamlin. More number of
flowers per meter shoot (138.83) and fruit set percentage (37.58%), maximum yield (32.75 kg/plant) recorded in
variety Valencia late, less number of flowers (95.50) and fruit set (19.60%) minimum yield (10.12 kg/plant)
recorded in variety Pera.
Key words: Sweet orange, Flowering, Fruit set, Flowering attributes, Yield characters
Citrus is a major fruit crop of the country both in area
and production. These fruits are grown in India on an area of
1042 thousand hectares with a production of 10090 thousand
tonnes. In Maharashtra, it is grown on an area of 277
thousand hectares with annual production of 861 tonnes and
productivity 3.1 MT/ha (Anonymous 2013). The important
products of sweet orange are oils and ascorbic acid, which
are used for flavouring. Sweet orange used for preparing
juice, refreshing drinks, preserved, syrup, marmalade and
squash. Sweet orange juice is used in cosmetic also. It is an
excellent for external application as a cloth cleanser, hair
rinser, skin lotion and mouth wash. Sweet orange juice is
bottled and canned in large scale. Considering above
advantage and demand of this crop, area under this crop is
increasing day-by-day and gaining importance in the citrus
industry (Bose and Mitra 2001). In Maharashtra, climate is
favourable for the production of various tropical and
subtropical fruit crops. The mild tropical and semi arid
climate of region is congenial for citrus growing. Sweet
orange grows well on wide range of soil from heavy to light
with good drainage gives a better yield. The ideal soil for
sweet orange is medium with depth up to 1 to 2 meters, pH
6.5 to 7.5 and calcium carbonate less than 10 percent
Vidarbha region is ideal for sweet orange production.
Several sweet orange varieties are available now, a
systematic evaluation of these and of their flowering, fruit
set percentage, yield potentials have not been done under
Akola conditions. The different varieties do not perform
equally well in all regions due to differences in varietal
adaptability and micro climatic variation. The varietal
character flowering, fruit development and maturity varies
under each variety. Therefore an attempt is made to find out
the suitability of some of them under Akola conditions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present study was to evaluate different varieties of
sweet orange cv. Pera, Pineapple, Jaffa, Washington Navel,
Hamlin, Valencia late, Sathgudi and Blood red malta. The
studies were conducted from at All India Coordinated
Research Project on Tropical Fruits (Citrus), Dr. Panjabrao
Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola in 2012-13. All the
trees were of same age (12 years) raised on Rough Lemon
(C. limon Linn. Burn) rootstock. Plantation was made
according to randomized block design (RBD). The plants
were spaced at 6 × 6 m and subjected to similar cultural
practices throughout the growing period. For flowering
observation, date of first flowering five branches are
selected randomly about one-meter length shoot from each
tree was tagged and recorded the days when flower emerge
on the shoot in Ambiabahar. Duration of flowering, the
observation was recorded dates of appearance of flower on
tagged shoots in season and average dates were worked out.
The number of flowers opened on the selected branches of
each tree was counted and these figures were added to get
the representative number of flowers in each variety. To
calculate fruit set percentage (%) total number of fruit set
immediately after style abscission present on the selected
branch of each tree.
11
15

Fruit set (%) =
No. of fruit lets
× 100
No. of flowers
Fruits per plant were recorded by counting in each
picking and finally total number of fruits per plant was
calculated. To calculate the fruit yield expressed as yield in
kg per plant from each picking fruits of different varieties.
To calculate the days to harvest, days counted from flower
emerging to fruit harvest of each variety on selected
branches.
Treatment
Date of flowering
V
1
:
Pera
9
-
12 March
V
2
:
Pineapple
14
-
16 Febru
ary
V
3
:
Jaffa
20
-
23 February
V
4
:
Washington navel
11
-
13 February
V
5
:
Hamlin
3
-
4 February
V
6
:
Valencia late
27
-
28 March
V
7
:
Sathgudi
18
-
20 February
V
8
:
Blood red malta
18
-
19 February
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Flowering attributes
First flowering observed on trees of Hamlin variety (3-4
February) followed by Washington navel (11-13 February)
and pineapple (14-16 February) varieties. Last flowering
observed on Valencia late (27-28 March) variety in
Ambebahar during 2012-13. Minimum duration of
flowering (Table 1) was observed in variety Hamlin (24.18
days) followed by Washington navel (24.72 days). More
duration of flowering was observed in Valencia late (32.72
days). Number of flowers per 1m shoot was maximum
observed in variety Valencia late (138.83) which was at par
with Blood red malta (129.66), whereas minimum number
of flowers per 1m shoot was observed in Pera (95.50).
Average number of flower per meter shoot war observed in
Washington navel, Hamlin and sathgudi are 126.83, 126.50
and 126.0, respectively. Similar results were also reported
by Maiti et al. (1971) in mango. Pawar (2011) also reported
number of flower per shoot in PDKV lime ranges from 115 -
148 in control treatment. Significantly maximum fruit set
percentage was recorded in Valencia late (37.58%) which
was at par with Sathgudi (34.41%) where as minimum fruit
set percentage was recorded in Pera (19.60%). Ganvir
(2009) reported 30.12 percent fruit set in PDKV lime.
Table 1 Flowering characteristics of different Sweet orange varieties at the age 12 years
Variety
No. of flowers (meter length of shoot)
Duration of flowering (days)
Fruit set (%)
Pera
95.50
30.85
19.60
Pineapple
111.16
24.86
22.67
Jaffa
106.50
25.00
28.36
W. Navel
126.83
24.72
26.45
Hamli
n
126.50
24.18
29.33
Valencia late
138.83
32.72
37.58
Sathgudi
126.00
25.13
34.41
Blood red malta
129.66
25.97
27.33
SE(m) ±
3.77
0.84
1.27
CD at 5%
11.40
2.54
3.84
Figures in parentheses are arc sign transformed values
Table 2
Y
ield and yield characteristics of different
s
weet orange varieties at the age 12 years
Variety
No. of fruits plant
-
1
Yield (kg/plant)
Days to harvest of fruits (days)
Pera
62.83
10.09
290.21
Pineapple
76.40
12.73
281.58
Jaffa
131.72
1
6.47
281.85
W. Navel
163.61
20.19
276.63
Hamlin
145.15
20.98
274.87
Valencia late
232.76
32.75
295.60
Sathgudi
220.00
29.32
280.93
Blood red malta
186.85
23.35
282.13
SE(m) ±
4.38
0.93
2.30
CD at 5%
13.24
2.83
6.95
Figures in parentheses are arc sign transformed values
Yield characters
Significantly maximum number of fruit per plant (Table
2) was recorded in variety Valencia late (232.76) which at
par with variety Sathgudi (120). The minimum no. of fruits
per plant was recorded for variety Pera (62.83). Similar
trends were observed by Mehrotra et al. (1977) reported on
Valencia late and recorded maximum number of fruits per
tree (101.1) on Troyer rootstock. Richardson et al. (1991)
also studied performance of Nucellar and Sathgudi and
reported more number of fruits (249.9) in Nucellar where as
Sathgudi produced (201.3) fruits per plant. Ahmed et al.
(2006) also finding same result on evaluation of some exotic
cultivars of sweet orange in Punjab conditions, better growth
performance observed in Mosambi variety and also they
P
a
rameshwar
et al.
2014
Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences 5(6)
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reported more number of fruits per tree (345.75). Nikhare
(2002) reported same result in acid lime. Significantly
maximum fruit yield was observed in variety Valencia late
(32.75 kg/plant) followed by variety Sathgudi (29.32
kg/plant). While the minimum fruit yield per tree was found
in variety Pera (10.09 kg/plant). Gardener and Horanic
(1961) reported higher yield production of sweet orange on
rough lemon than sour orange rootstock. Bajwa et al. (1972)
also reported similar findings highest mean fruit yield per
tree of 249.9 fruits per tree and 201.3 per tree was recorded
in Nucellar and Sathgudi, respectively. Days to harvest of
fruits were significantly different among the varieties of
sweet orange. Minimum days are taken to harvest of fruits
was observed in variety Hamlin (274.87 days) followed by
variety Washington navel (276.63 days). While the
maximum number of days to harvest of fruits was found in
variety Valencia late (295.60 days). This difference may be
due to genetic variation and also due to different cultivars
behave circumstances. The above results are in line with the
results of (Teofilo 1985).
It could be concluded from the above investigation that
maximum days required for flowering to fruit set like
number of flowers per meter, shoot and fruit set percentage,
maximum yield was recorded in variety Valencia late.
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