STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF SOME CITRUS ROOTSTOCKS ON GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF SOME MANDARINS CULTIVARS

Abstract

SUMMARY The present investigation was carried out at the orchard of American University in Cairo, Desert Development Center (AUC, DDC), Behera Governorate during the two successive seasons 1997 and 1998. It included two citrus cultivars namely Fremont tangerine and Minneola tangelo, each of them was budded on four rootstocks, i.e., Volkamer lemon (Citrus volkameriana), Rangpur lime (C. limonia), Carrizo citrange (Poncirus trifoliate x Citrus sinensis) as newly introduced rootstocks for citrus and Sour orange (Citrus aurantium) which is the most common rootstock in Egypt; all the tried rootstocks for each cultivar were replicated four times. Thus, the study involved 2 cultivars x 4 rootstocks x 4 replicate. The complete randomized design was used. The choice of the best rootstock for each of these two cultivars is an important aim for helping growers to chose the suitable rootstock • for their own cultivars in specific area. The choice of another rootstock which can replace Sour orange in this new reclaimed area is also very important aim.