Breeding of Fruit and Plantation Crops 2 + 1

Important species and cultivars

Mandarin group
Citrus reticulata

• Loose skinned orange, though mandarin and tangerine are names used more or less interchangeably to designate the whole group, tangerine is applied more strictly to those varieties which produce deep orange or scarlet fruits.

Calamondin (C. madurensis)

• Tanaka has recognized it as loose skinned orange group. It is very cold resistant for a true citrus fruit as hardy as Satsuma. Fruit colour is orange to deep orange, smooth and glossy surface, pitted shape, oblate, deep orange, and size small with flattened base having 7-10 segments.

Clementine (Algerian Tangerine)

• It is a tangerine and is probably an accidental hybrid of the mandarin and sour orange which is considered to be originated in Algeria. Fruit colour deep orange, shape globose to elliptical, size-medium with depressed apex, rind thick, segments 8-12 adhered slightly. It is an early variety.

Cleopatra (C. reshni)

• It is originated in China. Plant is thornless with dense top. Fruits are produced singly or in clusters, fruit colour dark orange red, shape oblate flattened at both ends, size small and segments 12-15.

Coorg orange

• It is an important variety of South India particularly in Coorg and Wynad tracts. Fruits are medium to large, bright orange colour, oblate to globose in shape, finely papillate and winkled,
• glossy, segments 9 – 11.

Dancy tangerine

• In USA, the Dancy is the best known and highly prized of all the mandarin oranges. Tree large, nearly thornless and has upright growth. Fruit colour is deep orange red to scarlet, rind thin, loose, easily separable, segments 10-14. It is a late variety.

Deshi mandarin (Pathankot)

• This variety is mainly grown in Punjab hills. The tree is large with semi – upright growth habit and compact foliage and are spineless. Fruit are ovoid to sub globose. Colour uniformly cadmium, surface pitted, semi glossy and finely wrinkled, rind medium, adherence slight, segments 7-10.

Khasi mandarin

• Swingle believed the king mandarin as a tangor, a hybrid between mandarin and sweet orange. King mandarin was first introduced from Cochin China to California in 1882. King mandarin is cultivated in Assam. This is a prolific bearer, frost resistant and produces high quality fruit.

King mandarin (C.nobilis)

• This is believed to be a hybrid between mandarin and sweet orange, and cultivated in Assam. It is a prolific bearer, frost resistant and produces high quality fruit.

Willow leaf mandarin (C. deliciosa)

• The tree is willowy in growth, almost thornless, and fruits usually borne singly at the tip of slender branches. Fruit colour orange, surface smooth, glossy frequently slightly lobed, necked base, apex depressed, wrinkled, rind thin with 10-12 segments. It is an early variety.

(King x Willow leaf mandarin)
Kinnow mandarin

• It is a first generation hybrid between the king and willow leaf mandarin and developed by H.B. Frost at the California Citrus Experiment station in 1915. It was introduced into Punjab from USA. Tree is vigorous, large, top erect, dense symmetrical with few scattered thorns. Fruit colour resembles of king, deep yellowish orange, surface, smooth, glossy, very shallow pitted, shape slightly oblate, size medium with flattened base, rind thin, peel tough and leathery, segment 9-10 easily separable, seed 12-24. It is a late variety.

Nagpur Santra

• This variety occupies prime position in Indian market and is one of the finest mandarins grown in the world. It is also known as Ponkan. Tree is large, vigorous, and spineless with compact foliage. Fruit size is medium, cadmium colour, smooth surface, and glossy, rind thin, soft, and slightly adhered with 10-12 segments.

Satsuma Orange

• It is a Japanese variety introduced into Florida in 1876. It is a frost resistant and useful breeding material. It is also resistant to canker, gummosis and scaly bark. Plant is thornless having spreading growth habit, orange fruit colour, rough surface, oblate to spherical shape, medium to large in size ,thin and easily separable rind, flavor rich and seedless.

Temple mandarin

• It is a hybrid between tangerine and sweet orange. Temple mandarin is most beautiful and highly flavored fruit of the citrus group. Tree is medium, thorny, spreading with deep orange to reddish fruit colour, rugose glossy surface, medium to large in size, depressed or nearly flat apex, loose rind, solid axis with 10-12 segments, orange pulp. It is late in maturity.