Scion Selections Highlighted at Expo

At the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, Jude Grosser and Fred Gmitter provided an update on the numerous scion selections produced at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). Both are University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences plant breeders.

Here are a few of the scion selections they highlighted in a presentation titled Working to Provide Sustainable Yields of Higher-Quality Fruit:

OLL-20
The OLL-20 orange has exceptional juice flavor and made 7.7 pounds solids per box on UFR-6 rootstock. Those results came without psyllid control at the Lee Family Groves. The OLL-20 was the favorite at a February 2022 juice fruit display.

VERNIA CLONES
Grosser and Gmitter reported that two new early-maturing Vernia clones (MB-R25-T7 and MB-R25-T9) and a hybrid blend juice outperformed Hamlin orange juice for flavor, soluble solids and color. The Vernia clones are candidates to replace the Hamlin orange. MB-R25-T9 showed the strongest HLB tolerance among 10 early-maturing clones.

UF 1859
The original tree for the orange-like hybrid UF 1859 has good HLB tolerance. The fruit has high Brix, tropical flavor notes and is attractive for the fresh market. Its juice-processing characteristics are to be determined.

MARATHON
The seedless and easy-to-peel Marathon comes from Daisy mandarin and Mukaku Kishu parentage. It has good color, flavor and segment structure, and very early maturity with long on-tree storage capacity. It has firm fruit that may be harvested without clipping, saving labor costs at harvest. It responds well to ethylene and performs well in long-term cold storage.

GATOR BITES 18A-9-39
The Gator Bites mandarin hybrid is a late-maturing, easy-peel fruit for the fresh market.

C2-5-3 GRAPEFRUIT-LIKE HYBRID
C2-5-3 is for the fresh market and makes a 15 ratio in late September. It is more tolerant of HLB than standard grapefruit and is also canker tolerant.

Sponsored Content