Full Length Research Paper

Yield and fruit quality performance of Nova and Robinson mandarins on three rootstocks in Eastern Mediterranean

T. H. Demirkeser*, M. Kaplankıran, C. Toplu and E. Yıldız

Mustafa Kemal University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Horticulture, Antakya, Hatay 31034 Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: demirkeser@gmail.com. Tel.: +903262455845. Fax: +90326245 5832.

Accepted 30 March, 2009

   Abstract

Yield and fruit quality performances of Nova and Robinson mandarins were evaluated in the Mediterranean climate of Dörtyol, Hatay, Turkey from 2002 to 2007. The cumulative yields of both Nova and Robinson mandarins over this 6 year production period were highest on Carrizo citrange and smallest on Troyer citrange. The fruit weight and seed content were affected by the rootstock in Nova mandarin. The heaviest fruits were obtained from Troyer citrange. For Robinson mandarins, the fruit weight and size were not affected by the rootstock, whereas the fruit color and skin structure were found to be affected by the rootstocks. In the two mandarin cultivars evaluated, the rind thickness, juice content, total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA) and TSS/TA ratio were similar when the rootstocks were compared. For Nova and Robinson mandarins, all of the rootstocks gave good fruit quality for the fresh fruit markets in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In conclusion, we propose Carrizo and Troyer citranges as an alternative to sour orange rootstocks.

Key words: Mandarin, carrizo citrange, sour orange, troyer citrange, mediterranean.