Identification of critical stage of water requirement in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck)

A field experiment on identification of critical stage of water requirement in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Mosambi) under Western Maharashtra was undertaken during 2011–12 to 2015–16. The results obtained indicated that the effect of different levels of irrigation at different stages on growth significantly altered yield and quality of sweet orange. The maximum plant height (4.88 m), canopy volume (46.52 m³), average fruit weight (198.27 g), number of fruits (342.57 fruits/tree) and fruit yield (67.64 kg/tree and 18.75 t/ha) were recorded in the treatment T₇ i. e. irrigation at 80% ER at all the growth stages. Similarly significantly the maximum juice content (45.75%), TSS (9.67°B), ascorbic acid (61.28 mg/100 ml juice), reducing sugars (3.73%), non-reducing sugars (2.61%) and total sugars (6.29%) with minimum acidity (0.52%) were recorded in this treatment. It was concluded that for higher production of good quality fruits of sweet orange during Ambia bahar, irrigation at 80% ER at all the growth stages is required. It is further recommended that, March-April is the critical stage of irrigation.