2/8/2008 6:00:00 AM
Growers weigh orange trends to decide what to plant
Cecilia Parsons
Capital Press
Growers in search of a new variety of citrus to plant taste tested and evaluated tree growth patterns during a tour of the UC-Lindcove demonstration block.
LINDCOVE - Navel oranges, for decades the leading citrus fruit variety in California, might want to take a look over their pebbly orange shoulders - specialty citrus is gaining on them.
Consumer trends show an increasing desire for seedless fruit, especially for the large scale commercial market, said citrus specialist Tracy Kahn, at the recent grower tour of the demonstration blocks at the University of California research center here.
Kahn, who works at the UC-Riverside Citrus Variety Collection, said demand for the sweet, easy-peeling mandarin could be traced to the introduction of the Clementine mandarin variety in the United States. The Spanish import gave consumers another citrus fruit choice and won them over with the ease of peeling, taste and lack of seeds.
"It's good to look at what people are consuming when making decisions on what to plant," Kahn said.
Numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service show mandarin consumption climbed to 2.5 pounds per capita from 1985 to 2005. During the same time, orange and grapefruit consumption dropped.
Kahn noted USDA statistics show mandarin-bearing acres now top 16,000 in California with many new plantings. Navel acreage is also up, with the popular pink-fleshed Cara Cara variety gaining considerable favor. Budwood sales from the California Citrus Clonal Protection Program show 16 percent of sales from 2004-06 were Cara Cara. Valencia acreage continues to drop and grapefruit acreage is stable.
Growers were able to taste citrus fruit from navel, blood, and Valencia oranges as well as mandarin and hybrid varieties, lemons, grapefruit, kumquats and limes grown at the center's demonstration block of citrus.
During a walk-through of the block, they could see mature trees including early and late bearing navels, multiple mandarins, grapefruits, lemons and limes as well as the exotic fingered citron and kumquats.
The center's orchards are used for a variety of studies including development of new citrus rootstocks and scions. Seedless mandarin varieties and hybrid rootstocks are also tested for possible release to the commercial citrus industry.
Kahn warned growers there are some additional considerations besides demand in choosing a new citrus variety to plant.
"Where will you market this fruit? It would be good to talk first with your packinghouse manager," Kahn said. "It's important to make a careful decision."
Kahn cited the case of a Ventura area grower who wanted to plant the pink-fleshed Cara Cara navel.
"He was told by the packer that his area is windy and fruit scarring would be likely. In a competitive market, that wouldn't be a good idea," Kahn said.
As popular as mandarin varieties have been, Kahn said there are some drawbacks for growers. Softer rinds that make them easy to peel also break down more quickly than navel rinds.
That shortens the length of time the fruit can hang on the tree as well as shelf life in the market. It is better to plant several varieties that mature at different times so they all don't have to be picked at once, Kahn said.
There is also the availability of budwood for some popular mandarin varieties.
Beth Grafton-Cardwell, director at Lindcove, said a tristeza outbreak left them short of Tango budwood.
This irradiated form of the W. Murcott Afourer mandarin is seedless in the presence of bees and much in demand by growers.
Grafton-Cardwell said she could not ensure budwood was free of the virus and halted sales this year.
On the tour, Exeter grower Jane Kleinkramer and Brian Young of Visalia said they were looking for something for a niche market. Comparing the Daisy mandarin to the neighboring Fina Clementine, they declared it a "untraditional looking."
Lindsay growers Bill and Patt Boersma said they were looking to add earlier and later navel varieties.
"There are no perfect varieties out there, you just have to decide which will work best for you," said Kahn.
Cecilia Parsons is a staff writer based in Ducor. E-mail:
cparsons@capitalpress.com.
