Rootstocks for sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.) in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of seven sweet orange cultivars: 'Baia 101', 'Baianinha IAC 79', 'Monte Parnaso', 'Pêra D6', 'Natal 112', 'Valência 27' and 'Aquiri' grafted on different rootstocks: 'Rangpur' lime, 'Cleópatra' and 'Sunki' mandarins, and 'Carrizo' citrange, in the environmental conditions of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. The experimental design was a split-plot, with the sweet orange cultivars as the main plots, the rootstocks as the sub-plots, and the four years of evaluation as replications. The 'Pêra D6', 'Natal 112' and 'Valência 27' sweet orange cultivars tended to have the highest yield when grafted on 'Rangpur' lime rootstocks, and the 'Aquiri' orange when grafted on 'Carrizo' citrange. Compared to the other rootstocks used, the 'Rangpur' lime tended to induce the highest yield/canopy volume and highest mean fruit weight, and the lowest total soluble solids and total acidity. Sweet orange cultivars of the 'Baia' group ('Baia 101', 'Baianinha IAC 79' and 'Monte Parnaso') produced fruit with low juice content, therefore they are not recommended for planting in Rio Branco. Based on the results, the rootstocks 'Carrizo' citrange, 'Cleópatra' mandarin and 'Rangpur' lime are recommended for 'Aquiri' sweet orange, and the 'Rangpur' lime is recommended for 'Pêra D6', 'Natal 112' and 'Valência 27' sweet orange cultivars.