Three New Citrus Varieties Released in Brazil

Josh McGillBrazil, Varieties

Three new citrus varieties were recently released in Brazil. They are the orange Navelina XR, the early sweet orange BRS IAC FCC Alvorada and the Tahiti lemon Ponta Firme. All are the result of a research partnership among Embrapa, the Coopercitrus Credicitrus Foundation and the Sylvio Moreira Citriculture Center, linked to the Agronomic Institute.

new citrus varieties
Photo by Eduardo Stuchi, Embrapa

NAVELINA XR
Developed for fresh consumption, Navelina XR is the only orange tree naturally resistant to the bacterium that causes citrus variegated chlorosis. The variety has early to mid-season maturation. Average productivity is 15 kilograms per plant at four years of age and 100 kilograms per plant at 10 years of age. It is recommended for the state of São Paulo, preferably in regions with milder temperatures.

ALVORADA
The early sweet orange BRS IAC FCC Alvorada is a multipurpose orange. Due to its flavor, it can be used both for the fresh market and for the production of frozen concentrated juice and pasteurized (not-from-concentrate) juice. It has early maturity and good production.

The variety was initially evaluated in the climate conditions of Bebedouro, in the northern region of the state of São Paulo. The region has a subtropical climate, with a moderate and dry winter, requiring the use of irrigation. But researchers observed the variety’s best performance in conditions in the southwest and extreme south of São Paulo, due to its excellent fruit quality and the low incidence of physiological drying of branches under milder weather.

PONTA FIRME
The Tahiti lemon Ponta Firme is for the central, north and northwest regions of the state of São Paulo, preferably in irrigated areas.

Early in production, the variety naturally produces, without any treatment, more fruits in the second semester when irrigated. The productivity of the new lemon is impressive, as it has reached an average of 80 tons per hectare, 242% higher than the average for the state of São Paulo.

By common agreement between the three institutions, these three new citrus varieties passed through the National Cultivar Registry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The varieties are not protected, which facilitates access by the producer. They are already being cultivated by small-scale producers, which demonstrates that they are in the public domain.

Source: Rural Channel

Share this Post

Sponsored Content