Fruit quality response of prominent sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) cultivars grafted on different rootstocks under Indian Sub-Tropics

Performance of six sweet orange cultivars on three rootstocks was evaluated in term of fruit quality during 2012 and 2013. Trovita produced maximum fruit diameter with value of 6.55cm, while Varnia variety registered minimum level of this parameter with 5.71cm. Among the rootstocks, Volkamerianalemon contributed towards maximum fruit diameter to the tune of 6.42cm. Maximum (6.39cm) and minimum (6.08cm) fruit length was registered in case of Trovita and Hamlin respectively. Fruits of Trovita cultivar recorded maximum (9.44) seed number per fruit, while minimum (1.67) value of this parameter was observed in Midknight Valencia. Plants budded on Volkameriana lemon produced fruits with higher (6.00) seed number. Midknight Valencia recorded maximum number of segments per fruit with average value of 12.44. Epicarp thickness of fruits was found to be maximum (2.33mm) in case of Trovita and minimum (1.37mm) in Midknight Valencia. Rhode Red cultivar registered highest level of mesocarp thickness to the tune of 5.14mm. Fruits juice pH of 6.58, which was maximum among all the cultivars, was also recorded in case of Rhode Red. Plants budded on Volkameriana lemon produced fruits with maximum juice pH of 6.50. Out of the eighteen stoinic combinations under investigation, fruits of Hamlin cultivar budded on Volkameriana lemon produced highest juice pH to the tune of 7.29.