Growth, Yield, Efficiency, and Fruit Quality of Five Navel Orange Clones During 4 Years

Abstract

Clone 7 can increase three-fold the production of navel oranges in Puerto Rico. Clone 7 produced 293 fruits per tree. The number and weight of fruits per tree increased with age, whereas the size and fruit weight, navel volume and peel weight diminished. Growth measurements such as rootstock and scion diameter, scion/rootstock ratio, canopy diameter, tree height, and canopy volume are not as good parameters for the selection of navel orange clones as the number of fruits per m³ of canopy volume. Screening for varieties according to yield revealed that clones 5 and 7 were the most productive and that they should be recommended to the citrus growers. Clones 5 and 7 also had the highest Brix and acidity values, and an intermediate pH, which contribute to an appropriate Brix/acid ratio, typical of the high quality of these navel clones. The smallest fruits had significantly the highest juice percentage.