Genetic resources of Citrus in South India –An overview

Citrus, one the most important fruit crops of India, forms an essential commercial commodity for several industries. India is the fifth largest producer of citrus fruits in the world. In terms of area under cultivation in India, citrus is the third largest fruit industry after banana and mango. Over the last 30 years, the area and production under citrus cultivation has increased. Lime, lemons, sweet oranges and mandarin cover bulk of the area under these fruits. This review documents citrus genetic resources in India, their economic potential, sustainable utilization and conservation and preservation, with a special focus to the citrus crops of South India. Collection and conservation of citrus genetic resources has been initiated in India long back. There are several research centres in the region which are working on these crops and maintain large collection of genetic variability of the region. These collections have been thoroughly evaluated, several promising varieties and lines have been identified and rootstocks have been recommended.