Production of Oranges (Citrus sinensis)

Production of fruits and vegetables

June 2016 Class Presentation

by

Stephen Tawanda Musasa

 Presentation layout
• Introduction
• Varieties
• Climatic requirements
• Soil requirements
• Propagation
• Culture
• Irrigation
• Pruning
• Harvesting
• Storage
• Common pests and diseases
• Uses
 Introduction

• Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck L.) is a member

of the citrus family (Rutaceae) and was for many years
known as Citrus aurantium var. sinensis L. (Snart et al.,
2006 ; García Lor, 2013)
• Some of its first recorded regional names are: narang
(Persian), naranja (Spanish) and the, laranja
(Portuguese)
• Orange tree can reach 5 m up to 15 m with rounded
crown of slender branches.
• The fruit is somewhat oval shaped.
Introduction
 Introduction

• Originated in southern China, northeastern India, and

southeastern Asia (Webber, 1943).

• Introduced in most of the world by Italian traders after

1450 or by Portuguese navigators around 1500.

• Leading producers include; USA, Brazil, Spain, Italy,

India, South Africa and Egypt.
 Common varieties
• Washington Navel
Originated in Brazil.
Commercially grown many countries
including; Brazil, Paraguay, Spain, Australia ,
Japan and parts of Africa
• Valencia (Late Valencia)
Originated in China
Commercially grown cultivar in
California, Texas and parts of Africa.
• Blood Oranges
Originated in Mediterranean area
Commercially grown in Egypt, Italy and
Pakistan.
 Climatic requirements
• Orange is subtropical crop.
– Growing phase - temperatures should range from 13
-38 ˚C (Snart et al., 2006)
– Dormancy phase - temperatures range from 2 - 10 ˚C
(Snart et al., 2006).
• Orange trees do not tolerate freezing temperatures
– Temperatures below -2˚C may result to branch dieback
and frozen fruit.
– Young trees may be killed outright by even brief frosts.
• Average precipitation varies from 13-50 cm, though
oranges are frequently grown in areas receiving 100-150
cm of rain.
 Soil requirements
• Best soils should be well-drained deep sandy loams eg
in Florida - Lakeland fine sand and often identified as
high pineland soil.
• Deep soils are ideal for good root development.
• Shallow and water logged soils should be avoided.
• Oranges do not tolerate very acidic or alkaline
conditions, preferred soil pH is in the range 6–7.
• Alkaline soils are not ideal because if orange trees are
not properly managed chlorosis may occur.
• It is important to select the appropriate rootstock for
particular soil conditions.
 Propagation
• Orange can be grown from seed because of nucellar
embryos.
• Budding onto appropriate rootstocks is widely used
(Snart et al., 2006).

Rough lemon and sour

oranges are commonly used
rootstocks (Willey, 2015)
 Propagation
• In Brazil, Rangpur lime (C. X limonia Osbeck) has been
the dominant rootstock - but rough lemon and
Cleopatra mandarin are now used.
– Rangpur is susceptible to Phytophthora root rot.
• Budding onto trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata Raf.)
- tends to reduce growth thus important in close space.
– Trifoliate orange cultivar 'English Small' has successfully
dwarfed 'Valencia'.
• In India, the sweet lime (C. limettioides Tanaka) was
found to be the best rootstock in wet zones with high
temperatures.
 Merits of using rootstocks
• Assurance of cultivars of known quality
• Rootstock influences the rate of growth, disease
resistance, productivity, and physical and chemical
attributes of the crop.
– Valencia oranges on sour orange stock have been found to
have more dry matter in the peel, pulp and juice than those on
rough lemon.
– Washington Navel oranges on rough lemon stock have had
low levels of potassium in the peel, pulp and juice; and, on
'Cleopatra mandarin' stock, even lower in the pulp and juice.
– Trifoliate orange rootstock produces high levels of potassium
throughout the fruit.
 Culture
• Standard spacing is 7.5x7.5 m

nowadays closely-planted and

hedged

Weeding is essential for the

first 3 years
 Irrigation

• Can be done to supplement rainfall.

• Omitted in the fall to avoid new growth that would be
damaged in winter cold spells.
• Desirable in the dry season to prevent wilting.
• Excessive irrigation lowers the solids content of the
fruit.
– Deep soils may require at most 6.25 cm of water
– Shallow soils may require not more than 2.5 cm of
water at a time but more frequently.
 Pruning

• Removal of water sprouts from young and older trees is

important.
• Take-out branches that are ≤30 cm to ground.
• Deadwood should be cut out
– cut surfaces over 2.5 cm in diameter should be sealed
with pruning compound.
• Orange trees that are closely - planted and hedged
require mechanical pruning by special equipment.
 Harvesting

Traditionally harvesters climbed

ladders and pulled the fruits off by
hand, putting them into pails or
shoulder-sacks which they later
emptied into field boxes.

Shortage and increased cost of

field labor, resulted to
innovations in harvesting
methods – which includes
mechanical operations
 Storage - life
• Oranges can be stored for 3 months at 11˚C and up to 5
months at 2 – 4˚C (Snart et al., 2006)
• Deterioration in quality is primarily due to loss of
moisture mostly by transpiration.
– Peel becomes thinner
– Reduced pulp
– Later, the peel will be very thin, dry and brittle while
the pulp is still juicy.
• Coating the fruits with a polyethylene/wax emulsion
improves the storage life.
 Common pests
• Citrus rust mites
–causing external blemishing and, in extreme
infestations, smaller fruits, pre-mature falling
and even shedding of leaves.
• Citrus red mites
–common in summer, disfigure the surface of
the fruit and the foliage mainly in the winter
and during droughts.
• Aphids cause leaves to curl and become crinkled.
–Brown citrus aphid (Toxoptera citricidus) is the
main vector of the tristeza virus.
• Fruit flies
–are a constant threat to oranges -
Mediterranean fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, and
African invader fruit fly
 Common diseases
• Oranges are commonly affected by fungal diseases.
• Greasy spot a yellow-brown, blistery, oily, brown or
black on foliage
– caused by Cercospora citri-grisea,
• Gummosis, melanose, dieback and stem-end rot
– Caused by Diaporthe citri
• sweet orange scab
– Caused by Elsinoe australis
• Foot rot and Root rot
– Caused by Phytophthora megasperma, P. palmivora
and P. Parasitica (Graham et al., 2016)
 Uses
• Oranges are primarily eaten fresh or consumed as juice
• Commercially produced in frozen orange concentrate to
be diluted with water and served as juice.
• Dehydrated orange juice (orange juice powder),
• Orange ‘wine’ was at one time made in Florida from
fruits too affected by cold spells to be marketed.
• Orange ‘wine’ is produced on a small scale in South
Africa.
• Orange ‘wine’ and brandy are made in Brazil from fruits
which have been processed for peel oil and then
crushed.
 References
• García Lor (2013). Organization of the genetic diversity of
citrus. PhD Thesis, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia
• Graham J.H., Dewdney M.M., and Johnson E.G (2016) Florida
citrus pest management guide: Ch.15 Phytophthora Foot rot and
Root root. UF/IFAS Extension – University of Florida
• Snart J., Arparaia M.l., and Harris L.J (2006) Oranges: Safe
Methods to store, Preserve and Enjoy. Publication 8199 –
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. University of
Califonia
• Webber H.J (1943). History and Development of Citrus Industry.
[Online]
http://websites.lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter1.htm
• Willey D (2015). Grafting citrus trees – Bud grafting. [online]
www.fruitmentor.com
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 THANK YOU

Lets Enjoy Sweet Oranges!!