Commercial Potential of Rambutan Cultivars Grown at Two Locations in Puerto Rico

Eight rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) cultivars grown on an Oxisol and Ultisol were evaluated for four years under intensive management at Isabela and Corozal, Puerto Rico, respectively.  There were significant differences in number and weight of fruits per hectare between locations and years. Significantly more fruits were produced at Corozal (390,004 fruits/ha) than at Isabela (153,095 fruits/ha).  Fruit yield at Corozal and Isabela was 13,071 and 4,642 kg/ha, respectively.  There were significant differences among varieties for number of fruit and yield per hectare at both locations. At Isabela, cultivar Gula Batu, R-162 and Binjai produced significantly more fruits and higher fruit weight than other cultivars averaging 199,495 fruits/ha and 5,919 kg/ha, respectively.  At Corozal, significantly higher number of fruit and yield were obtained by cultivars Gula Batu and R-162 averaging 442,856 fruits/ha and 14,764 kg/ha, respectively.  Cultivar R-156Y had the lowest yield at both locations.   At both locations, significantly lower fruit soluble solids (Brix) values (19.8) were obtained from fruits of cultivars R-156Y and Gula Batu; there were no significant differences in Brix among the rest of the cultivars (21.2). Entomological studies demonstrated that rambutan is not a host to fruit flies Anastrepha suspensa and A. obliqua.