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Title: EFFECT OF ROOTSTOCK ON STEM-END RIND BREAKDOWN AND DECAY OF FRESH CITRUS

Author
item RITENOUR, MARK - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item DOU, HUATING - FL. DEPT. OF CITRUS
item Bowman, Kim
item BOMAN, BRIAN - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item STOVER, ED - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item CASTLE, WILLIAM - UNIV. OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: HortTechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2004
Citation: Ritenour, M.A.,Dou,H.,Bowman,K.D.,Boman,B.J.,Stover,E.,Castle,W.S.2004. Effect of rootstock on stem-end rind breakdown and decay of fresh citrus. HortTechnology.14:315-319.

Interpretive Summary: Retention of fruit quality during storage is important for citrus because of the expanding importance of sales to distant markets. In three tests, the rootstock of the trees was shown to have a significant effect on postharvest rind breakdown or fruit decay during storage for oranges, navel oranges, or grapefruit. The rootstock effect on quality retention was identified as an important additional factor that should be evaluated in the development of new citrus rootstock cultivars.

Technical Abstract: Rootstock significantly affected the development of stem-end rind breakdown (SERB) on 'Valencia' and navel oranges (Citrus sinensis), but not 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit (C. paradisi) or 'Oroblanco' (C. grandis x C. paradisi), and affected postharvest decay on navel orange, 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit, 'Oroblanco', and 'Valencia' orange. In 'Valencia' and navel oranges, fruit from trees grown on Gou Tou (unidentified Citrus hybrid) consistently developed low SERB. Relative SERB of fruit from other rootstocks was more variable. Navel oranges, 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit, and 'Oroblanco' fruit from trees on Cleopatra mandarin (C. reticulata) rootstock consistently developed relatively low levels of decay, and in navel this level was significantly lower than observed from trees on all other rootstocks. In three of five trials we observed significant differences between widely used commercial rootstocks in their effects on postharvest SERB and/or decay.