FRUIT QUALITY OF ORTANIQUE TANGOR ON TEN CITRUS ROOTSTOCKS IN THE TADLA REGION, CENTRAL MOROCCO
TALHA ABDELHAK
Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Germplasm Conservation, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Kénitra, Morocco and Laboratory of Botanical, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, IbnTofail University, Kénitra, Morocco.
EL-KHLIFI FARID
Laboratory of Botanical, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, IbnTofail University, Kénitra, Morocco.
CHETTO OUIAM
Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Germplasm Conservation, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Kénitra, Morocco.
FADLI ANAS
Laboratory of Botanical, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, IbnTofail University, Kénitra, Morocco.
ABBOUCH BASMA
Laboratory of Botanical, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, IbnTofail University, Kénitra, Morocco.
BENIKEN LHOU
Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Germplasm Conservation, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Kénitra, Morocco.
DOUIRA ALLAL
Laboratory of Botanical, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, IbnTofail University, Kénitra, Morocco.
BENYAHIA HAMID
*
Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Germplasm Conservation, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Kénitra, Morocco.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In this study, the effects of ten citrus rootstocks, including sour orange, Moroccan Troyer citrange, Moroccan Carrizo citange, Citrumelo 4475, MandarineSunki x Poncirustrifoliata, Citrus macrophylla, Citrus volkameriana, FLhorag an intergeneric, Carrizo citange 28608, and Troyer citrange B2 31655, on fruit quality of Ortanique tangor(C. reticulate x C. sinensis) were assessed. The parameters studied included fruit weight, equatorial and polar diameters peel thickness, percentage of juice, acidity, Total soluble solids (TSS), Ripening Index, juice pH, vitamin C content, carotenoid content, and fruit color. Trees on Citrumelo4475, Citrus volkameriana, Mandarine Sunki x Poncirus trifoliate, and sour orange rootstocks produced fruits with high juice content. The highest percentage of juice citrate was observed in trees grafted on the Carrizo citange 28608. The fruits harvested on trees grafted on Citrumelo4475, sour orange and the Troyer citrange B2 31655 presented the highest TSS, whereas the lowest TSS values were observed in the fruits obtained on Citrus macrophylla and Flhorag. The earliest harvest was recorded in trees on Citrus volkameriana followed by Citrus macrophylla. The most acidic juice was obtained from the fruits of trees grafted on the Carrizo citange 28608 and sour orange.
Keywords: Citrus, rootstocks, Flhorag, tetraploid, vitamin C, color, calcareous soil