Behavior of 'Valencia' orange tree on six rootstocks in the northwest of Parana state

In order to identify alternatives to the utilization of 'Rangpur' lime, the major rootstock cultivar used in citrus orchards, an experiment was conducted in a field established in 1994 in Nova Esperanca, Parana, Brazil and maintained without irrigation. Six rootstock cultivars were tested in relation to yield and physico-chemical characteristics of 'Valencia" fruits: 'Rangpur' lime (C. limonia), 'Cleopatra'(C. reshni) and 'Sunki'(C. sunki) mandarins, 'Troyer' citrange (P trifoliata x C. sinensis), 'Orlando' tangelo (C. tangerina x C. paradisi) and 'Caipira' orange (C. sinensis). The complete randomized block design was used with four replications and three useful trees per plot. Fruit quality was evaluated in 2002 and 2005, growth development and yield efficiency in 1999 and 2003, and yield from 1996 until 2005. Compared to 'Rangpur', the 'Sunki' rootstock induced higher yield and canopy volume, and equivalent yield efficiency and fruit quality; the 'Troyer' rootstock induced the production of fruits with higher industrial yield, equivalent yield efficiency and lower average fruit weight; the 'Cleopatra' rootstock induced higher canopy volume, equivalent yield, and lower yield efficiency. The study showed that the rootstock 'Sunki', 'Cleopatra' and 'Troyer' can be valuable alternatives to 'Rangpur' lime rootstock utilization.