Improvement of ‘Afourer’ Mandarin Productivity in Isolation of Cross- Pollination

Abstract

‘Afourer’ mandarin is the first patented citrus cultivar introduced to Uruguay. Besides its excellent organoleptic characteristics, the ability to produce seedless fruit in the absence of cross-pollination is one of its main attributes. In Uruguay, bee-proof nets covering trees result in reduction of seed presence, but in some cases fruit set and yield are significantly reduced. With the objective of increasing tree productivity while avoiding bee’s pollination, treatments of gibberellic acid (GA₃ 50 mg L^-1) at full bloom, trunk girdling 30 days after full bloom, and their combination, were applied in two orchards located in San José (Uruguay, 35 °SL). GA₃ application combined with girdling consistently increased fruit number and yield per tree, while the individual treatments had varying responses. In the experiments, 95 % and 96 % of the fruit were seedless; fruit juice content, and juice total soluble solids and acidity were not modified by the treatments.