Performance of Some Exotic Cultivars of Sweet Orange in Punjab, Pakistan

Citrus industry of Pakistan has been monopolized by a single cultivar Kinnow mandarin. Efforts are being made to diversify the citrus industry by induction of some suitable species like sweet orange, being the best choice after Kinnow mandarin in Pakistan. In the present studies 11 exotic cultivars (Salustiana, Emby Gold, Lane Navel, Glane Navel, Hamlin, Tarocco-N, Casa Garande, Hinkley, Marr’s Early, Kozan and Musambi) of sweet orange grown at Citrus Research Institute Sargodha (CRIS) Pakistan, were tested for cultivation in Punjab province. The studies comprised of a wide range of vegetative growth parameters (plant height, plant spread, canopy volume, stem girth) and physiochemical properties (fruit size, per fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, number of seeds per fruit, juice percentage, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, TTS/acid ratio, peel thickness, peel weight, rag weight) of the fruits. The experiment was laid out according to randomized complete block design (RCBD), consisting of 11 treatments (cultivars) replicated four times and two plants were taken as an experimental unit; the data was collected and analyzed according to standard analytical techniques. The preliminary results showed that Salustiana performed the best in all respects followed by Tarocco and Musambi. On the basis of this study, it can be recommended that the above said three cultivars (Salustiana, Tarocco-N and Musambi) can be inducted as potential cultivars to diversify the citrus industry of Pakistan.