- Author: Therese Kapaun
Dr. Mikeal Roose (Dept. of Botany and Plant Sciences, UC Riverside) attends the first harvest of a new rootstock trial located south of LREC in a private orchard. The research trial consists of 300 trees of Tango mandarin on many different rootstocks. The fruit was picked into the small totes shown here, which prevents delicate mandarin varieties from being crushed, as compared to oranges which are normally picked into 24-carton fruit bins weighing 900 lbs. After harvest, the trees were measured for size and an overall tree health rating was given. Additional data generated from the LREC packline includes individual fruit size, weight, °Brix, color, and texture. These measurements help the researcher gauge the performance of specific rootstocks for Tango mandarin.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
This week Beth Grafton-Cardwell's entomology research team harvested 288 3-year-old 'Tango' mandarin trees, and ran the fruit over the Lindcove fruit grading system. Her group is studying the long-term effects of reducing citrus leafminer densities with insecticides and what impact that has on the development of the trees and the number, size, color, and Brix of the fruit.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
The UC ANR Program Council held their February business meeting at Lindcove REC, where they were able to taste a selection of the more than 400 citrus varieties grown at the Center.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
Each year Lindcove REC donates fruit for the World Ag Expo in Tulare. This year's show has more than 1400 exhibitors and expects to receive at least 100,000 visitors. The colorful fruit display at the Citrus Research Board's booth has 55 varieties, with Dr. Tracy Kahn (UC Riverside) and Dr. Rock Christiano (Lindcove REC) on hand to answer questions about new varieties, plant propagation, diseases of citrus, and the clean budwood program administered by the Citrus Clonal Protection Program. Citrus Research Board staff are on hand to answer questions about research programs, and to provide up to date information regarding Asian citrus psyllid movements and huanlongbing (greening disease). Come see us at booth L36 at the World Ag Expo!
- Author: Therese Kapaun
New citrus varieties developed by the UCR Citrus Breeding Program are propagated at Lindcove and planted in the research blocks. Dr. Mikeal Roose (Dept. of Botany, UCR) heads the project, and pictured here is the newest addition to his team, Dr. Soon Park. The major objective of the program is to release exciting new citrus varieties of commercial importance to the citrus industry. Recently the program has released three varieties of low-seeded mandarins, 'DaisySL', 'KinnowLS', and 'FairchildLS'. Several more low-seeded mandarin varieties are scheduled for release in the near future, including 'EncoreLS' and unnamed selections from low-seeded 'Nova' and 'Fremont'. On the horizon is the possibility of releasing some selections of lemon and grapefruit. Many of these newly released varieties will be available for tasting at the upcoming Citrus Showcase sponsored by California Citrus Mutual at the Visalia Convention Center on March 7th. Hope to see you there.