CITRUS

Taxonomy of Mandarin and Sweet Orange

Division: Embryophyta, Sub-division - Angiospermae

Class: Dicotyledonae Order Geraniale
Sub-order: Geranianeae Family Rutaceae
Sub-family: Aurantioedae Tribe Citrae,
Genus: Citrus Sub-tribe Citrinae

Area and Production

 In India, citrus occupy 5.6 lakh hac with total production of 45.8 lakh tonnes
 It is mainly grown in Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, A.P., Karnataka, Gujarat,
Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.
 Mandarin is grown in maximum area and placed at first position followed by sweet oranges and
limes.
 In Punjab, citrus is grown in 20411 ha with production of 2.80 lakh tonnes.
 Kinnow alone occupy 17189 hac.
 The districts of Ferozepur, Faridkot, Bathinda and Hoshiarpur are famous for kinnow growing.
 Arid-irrigated region of Punjab i.e. Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Mansa are suitable for sweet
orange cultivation.
 In Rajasthan, Kinnow is grown in Ganganagar, Bikaner and Jaipur.
 In Haryana, Sirsa, Jind, Hisar, Karnal and Ambala are suitable for kinnow growing.

Importance and Uses

 Citrus fruits contain considerable amount of vitamin C (50-60 mg/100 g).
 Citrus fruits are also good source of vitamin A and vitamin B1.
 TSS in fruit juice in most of the sweet group of citrus varies from 8-12%.
 Citrus fruits are taken as fresh fruits.
 Juice, squash, concentrate, marmalade, syrup, pickle, cocktail etc. are prepared from citrus fruits.
 Peel of thick-rinded citrus fruits can also be made into delicious candy.

Swingle’s system of Classification

Genus : Citrus
Subgenus Eucitrus Papeda
10 spp. 6 Spp.
1. C. tachibana 1. C. ichangensis
2. C. medica 2. C. latipes
3. C. limon 3. C. micrantha
4. C. ureticulata 4. C. celebica
5. C. indica 5. C. macroptera
6 6. C. grandis 6. C. hystrix’
7 7. C. paradisi
8 8. C. aurantifolia
9 9. C. sinensis
10 10. C.aurantium
Tanaka system of Classification
Genus: Citrus
Sub genus: Archicitrus
Section:
 Papeda: 12 SPP
  Limonellus: Eulimonellus: 3 sp ; Megacarpa 14 spp.
 Citrophorum: Citroides 5 sp, Limonoides 7 spp, Decumanoides 13 spp.
 Cephalocitrus: Decumana 6 spp., Intermedia: 2 Groups: 15 spp.
Aurantium : Medioglobosa 16 spp; Aurantiodes; Groups : 6 spps;
Sinensiodes 7, osmocitriodes: 3 Groups : 5 spp.
Sub Genus: Metacitrus

Section:
 Osmocitrus: Euosmocitrus 10 spp. Psudoacrumen 1 spp
 Acrumen: Euacrumen: 3 spp., Mocroacrumen : 2 Groups
2subgroups : 2 Microgroup : 33 spp.

Major Citrus Species

1. Mandarin group
i) C. reticulata : Sangtra
ii) C. unushiu : Satsuma mandarin
iii) C. deliciosa : Willow leaf mandarin
iv) C. nobilis : King of Kunembo
v) C. reshni : Cleopatra mandarin or Billikichli
vi) C. tangerina : Tangerins
vii) C. madurensis : Calamondin
viii) C. madaraspatana : Kitchli, Vadlapudi, Guntur orange
2. Orange group
i) C. sinensis : Sweet orange
ii) C. aurantium : Sour orange
iii) C. myrtifolia : Myrtle leaf orange
iv) C. bergamia : Bergamot orange
v) C. natsudaidai : Japanese summer orange
3. Pummelo–grapefruit group
i) C. maxima : Chakotra
ii) C. paradisi : Grapefruit
4. Acid group
i) C. medica : Citron
ii) C. limon : Lemon
iii) C. jambhiri : Rough lemon
iv) C. karna : Kharna Khatta
v) C. aurantifolia : Lime
vi) C. latifolia : Tahiti or Persian lime
vii) C. limettioides : Sweet lime
1. Papeda group
i) C. inchangensis : Ichang papeda
ii) C. junos : Yaju of Japan
iii) C. latipes : Khasi papeda
iv) C. macroptera : Malenasian papeda
v) C. histrix : Mauritius papeda
vi) C. macrophylla : Alemow
2. Other species
i) C. limonia : Rangpur lime
ii) C. limetta : The limette of the mediterranean
iii) C. indica : Indian wild orange
iv) C. pannivesiculata : Gajanimma of India
3. Related genera
i) Poncirus : P.trifoliata – Trifoliate orange
ii) Fortunella : Kumquat
F. margarita, F. japonica, F. crassiflora, F. hindsii

Varieties of Citrus sp.

1. Sweet Orange
A. Common group or miditerranean oranges
Pineapple, Jaffa, Hamlin, Valencia
B. Acidless group: Musambi, Succari
C. Pigmented group: Blood Redm, Ruby, Moro, Torocco, Doblefina
D. Naval group : Washinton Naval, Roberstan, Bahianiana.

2. Mandarin
A. Reticulata group : Nagpur, Coorg, Khasi mandarin
B. Mediterranean or Deliciosa group: Kinnow (King x Willow leaf), Wilking, Willow leaf,
Emperior.
C. Satsuma group: Ovari, Wase, Kara.
D. Tangerine group: Dancy, Beauty, Naartja
E. Nobilis group : King, Kunembo
F. Mitis group : Calamondin, Billikichli, Cleopatra

3. Mandarin like Tangers (Tangerine x Sweet orange): Temple, Clementine.

4. Mandarin like Tangelos (Grapefruit x Tangerine) : Orlando, Minneola

5. Grapefruit
A. Seeded group: Duncan, Pink Marsh, Foster, Ruby, Triumph.
B. Seedless group: Marsh Seedless, Red Blush, Cecily

6. Pummelo: Chakaiya, Red Fleshed, Kaopan

7. Lime
A. Acid or sour lime
B. Large fruited or Tahiti lime
C. Mandarin like
D. Sweet or Acid lime
: Kagzi, Mexican, Palmetto
: Tahiti, Pond, Bears
: Rangpur Lime
: Sweet, Local, Palestine

8. Lemon
A. Eureka group : Eureka, Italian Round, Villafranca, Nepali
Oblong
B. Lisbon group : Bonnie, Lisbon, Kennedy
C. Anamalous group : Meyer, Cuban, Ponderosa
D. Sweet or Acidless group : Mill sweet

Citrus Hybrids
1. Intergeneric hybrids
(a) Hybrids of Poncirus
Citrangers : Poncirus trifoliata x C. sinensis
Citrangequat : Poncirus x Citrus x Fortunella. Trigeneric hybrid
Citrangedin : Citrange x C. mitis (Calamondin)
 Citrangor : Citrange x C. sinensis Back cross
Cicitrange : Citrange x P. trifoliata “
Citrumelos : P. trifoliata x C. paradisi
Citrandarin : P. trifoliata x C. reticulata
Citremon : P. trifoliata x C. limon
Citradias : P. trifoliata x C. aurantium
Citrumquat : P. trifoliata x F. japonica or F. margarita
(b) Hybrids of Flortunela
Procimequat : F. japonica x C. aurantifolia x F. hindisii
Limequat : C. aurantifolia x F. japonica
Orangequat : C. reticulata x F. japonica x F. margarita
2. Intrageneric hybrids (Interspecific)
Tangors : C. reticulata x C. sinensis
e.g. Temple, Clementine : Mostly embryonic.
Tangelos : C. reticulata x C. poaradisi
e.g. Orlando, Minneola
Lemonimes : C. limon x C. aurantifolia
Lemonnage : C. limon x C. sinensis
Lemandarin : C. limon x C. reticulata

Flowering and Fruit Development

 Fruit growth pattern in citrus follows a simple sigmoid. On the basis of fruit weight and volume,
Kinnow fruits followed a pattern of sigmoidal growth.
 Citrus seeds do not have dormancy period. Always fresh seeds should be sown. Optimum temp. for
seed germination in 32oC.
 Most citrus species are polyembryonic and from one seed two or more seedlings may emerge. One
of these is sexual seedling and the others are nucellar seedlings which are identical with the mother
plant.
 C. medica, C. grandis, Temple and Clementine mandarins and Meyer lemon are monoembryonic
and their seedlings are very heterogenous.
 Flowering in citrus takes place mostly in spring.
 In limes and lemons, flowering takes place almost throughout the year.
 In north India, the main flowering in all citrus species takes place during early spring (February-
March).
 In Kinnow, flowering time in end February to early March in north India.
 In South India, Sathgudi oranges flower twice in a year from December-April and September to
December. Coorg mandarin have two distinct flowering periods i.e. main season flowering (March-
April) and off season flowering (September-October).
 In central and western India, oranges flower thrice a year at intervals of 4 months i.e. June, October
and February.
 The Sweet lime trees bears 2 types of flowers viz. Staminate and hermaphrodite on the same tree;
but the formation of staminate flowers is more. The fruits mature about 6 months after flowering.
 Grapefruit tree produce flowers and fruits once in a year under North Indian conditions in spring and
fruits mature after 8 to 9 months in the months of November and December.
 Honey bees are common pollinating agent in citrus.
 Cross pollination increase seedlings in certain citrus cultivars viz. Shamouti orange, Clementine
mandarin and Mineola tangelo.
 Self incompatibility has been reported in Nepali Oblong and Lucknow Seedless lemon, pummelo
Clementine mandarin and sweet lime.
Climate
 Citrus is sub-tropical fruit. Temp. 0 to –2oC is injuries to citrus fruits.
 Extremely high temp. is not conducive – leads to sun burning.
Sweet Orange
 Dry and arid conditions coupled with wall defined summer and winter season having low temp. are
most suitable conditions.
 In north India, it is grown best under irrigation in the plains of Punjab, Rajasthan and Western UP
where summer and winter are more markedly severe and much drier. Rainfall varies from 20-75 cm
from June to Sept.
Mandarin
 Sub-montane tracts 600-1100 m & rainfall 75-250 cm is ideal.
 Nagpur region with 300-360 m elevation, rainfall 111 cm., R.H. 53%, highest maximum temp. 47oC
& lowest minimum temp. 6oC are best.
 Kinnow growing in Punjab, H.P., Rajasthan doing well in warm cool temp. with chilling temp.
resulted economical cropping & excellent quality fruit.

Soil
 Citrus fruit trees are very sensitive to high salt conc. in the soil.
 Salt toxicity shows leaf burn symptoms. EC in soil should be less than 2 mmhos/cm.
Sweet Orange
 Soil should be medium to light loam, rich in organic matter, well drained. PH 6-8.
 Soil should be atleast one metre deep.
Mandarin
 Well drained, light loam to loam soil is preferred.
 Water table should be below 3 m, have no hard pan within 2 m. PH 5-8.
 In Nagpur region soils are coarse, free working, well drained, black, loamy, 6’ deep.
 In general for citrus PH should be up to 8.5, EC 0.5 mmhos/cm, free lime < 5%, lime concretion <
10%.

Propagation
Raising of Rootstock
 Jatti Khatti, Cleopatra for Blood Red and Pectinifera for Musambi.
 Kharna Khatta, Troyer, Carrizo, Rangpur lime, Citrumelo are also used.
 Seeds of citrus sp are polyembryonic, thus nucellar seedlings are used for raising uniform seedlings.
 Immerse seeds in hot water at 52oC to check phytophthora.
Selection of Scion. Should be virus free bud wood, from known pedigree.
Time and Method of Propagation:
 Mandarin, Sweet orange & grapefruit are propagated through T-budding in February-March and
August-September.
 Lime & lemon are propagated through Air-layering or semi-hard wood cuttings during
February-March and August-September.
 Sexual method is used in lime.
Planting
 Citrus is planted twice in a year i.e. spring season (February-March) and rainy season (August-
September).
 August-September planting is considered best as the weather has cooled down sufficiently.
 Spacing commonly given to citrus plants in north India is 6x6 m in square system and accommodate
275 plants per hectare.
 Kinnow is being planted as 20’x22’, 10’x11’, 15’x15’, 17’x17’ and 20’x15’ and also as a filler tree
in mango, pear and litchi.
 Young plants must be protected against high and low temperature and strong winds.
 Young plants are susceptible to frost and must be protected during first two winters.
Cultural Practices
Irrigation
 Water requirement of lemons is maximum followed by grapefruit, mandarins and sweet orange in
discending order.
 In Kinnow and other citrus trees water stress cause twig die back, leaf and fruit drop, lower fruit set
and reduction in fruit size.
 Active growth of citrus plants and fruit takes place from March to June. Also weather becomes
increasingly hot and remains generally dry during this period.
 March to June is critical period and period of peak water requirement for citrus orchards. Utmost
care should be given to irrigation during this period.
 Young citrus orchards up to 8 years should be irrigated by basin system.
 Under north Indian conditions weekly irrigation during March to June and fortnightly irrigation
during November to February are followed.
 Citrus trees are highly sensitive to excessive moisture and water-logging conditions.
 Excessive irrigation may result in poor soil aeration leading to reduced growth and yield.
 As citrus plants are very sensitive to saline and alkaline conditions. The total soluble salts in the
irrigation water should not exceed 1000 ppm.

Weed Management
 In the second fortnight of March after the emergence of weeds spray Glycel 41 SL (Glyphosate) @
4l/ha followed by glycel 41 SL or gramoxone 24 WSC (Paraquat) at 3 l/ha in the second fortnight of
July in 500 litres of water in Kinnow orchards.

Intercropping
 Intercrops can be taken before the trees become productive.
 Exhaustive inter-crops like cotton, chari, bajra, barseem, maize, bhindi, and creeper type vegetables
should not be grown in the orchards.
 In young orchards, up to 4 years of age, leguminous crops such as guara, moong, mash, cowpea,
gram and pea may be grown.
 In sweet orange orchards, guara and wheat can be grown in rotation with guara as green manure for
first 5-6 years.
 Sufficient space should be left unsown around young trees to ensure their unrestricted growth.
 Additional fertilizers should be added to meet the requirements of the intercrop and fruit trees and
intercrop should be provided independent irrigation systems.
 Barseem require frequent irrigation in winter season, it leads to phytophthora attack in citrus
orchards.

Nutrient Management
According to Chapman, 18 tonnes of citrus fruits remove nutrient as follow.
N 21 Kg, P 5 Kg, K 41 Kg, Ca 19 Kg, Mg 3.6 Kg, S 2.3 Kg, Bo 40g, Co 9 g, Fe 50 g, MN 13 g, Zn 13 g.

 Nitrogen deficient trees show general lightening of green part of leaves.

 Leaves turn yellowish green.
 Trees become stunted, sparse foliage, produce dead wood, bear little fruit.

 Potassium deficiency resulted reduced growth and smaller leaves.

 New growth very weak, twigs break easily.
 Fruits remained small, have thin, smooth & well-coloured rind.

 Magnesium deficiency appear in old leaves when fruit is mature.

 Chlorotic spots at the tips & between the vein.
 Leaves become abnormally thin.
 Zinc deficiency appear on fully mature new leaves.
 Irregular interveinal chlorosis in leaves – Mottled leaf.
 Terminal leaves become small & narrow – Little leaf.
 Fruit bud formation severally reduced, twigs die back.

 Manganese deficiency occur as green veins on light green background.

 Bands develop along mature leaves with light green tissue.

 Iron. General chlorotic condition of the areas between the veins.

 Later on areas between the veins become yellow.
 Premature defoliation, twigs dying back starts.

Fertilizer Schedule Recommended by PAU

Age of tree (Years) FYM (Kg/tree) N (g/tree)
1-3 5-20 50-150
4-6 25-50 200-250
7-9 60-90 300-400
10 and above 100 400-800

FYM in Dec., N ½ in Feb, ½ in April-May (After fruit set)

In Maharashtra – For Mosambi (Sweet Orange)
N – 800g, P-100 g, K-400 g.
Zn deficiency correction: 0.3% ZnSO4, April, June, September without lime.
0.45% ZnSo4 if deficiency is acute.

Training and Pruning

 In young citrus orchards staking should be done to ensure upright growth of trees.
 Citrus trees do not require pruning except removal of unwanted, intercrossing, diseased and dead
branches.
 Pruning is generally done in the spring after the danger of frost has passed and before new growth
starts.
 In Kinnow, water sprouts are a common phenomenon. These are characterized by sparse foliage and
large thorns. They bear profusely fruits of poor quality.
 Trees under water stress produce water sprouts in abundance upon removal of stress, generally in
rainy season.
 Water sprouts should be pruned judiciously to balance them with the rest of trees.

Thinning of fruits
 Young Kinnow trees of 3-4 years old tend to produce heavy crop.
 Taking heavy crop during initial years impairs tree health.
 Hand thinning of floral buds and fruits should be done. Usually fruit thinning is done in May soon
after fruit set.
 Crop should be so regulated that flushing continues throughout the year.

Harvesting and Fruit Handling

 Citrus fruits should be harvested when they are fully ripe as they are non-climacteric in nature.
 Citrus fruits develop their characteristics flavour and aroma at fully ripe stage.
 Fruits do not at all improve in quality after they have been harvested from the tree.
 TSS : Acid ratio is a scientific and reliable index for adjusting maturity of citrus fruits.
 Best harvesting time of Kinnow mandarin on Jatti Khatti fall between 20th January to 9th February.
 Optimum harvesting time of fruits and varieties of citrus grown in Punjab
Kind/Variety Harvesting time Solids/acid ratio
1. Sweet Orange
Musambi November 30:1
Pineapple and Jaffa December 14:1
Blood Red December-January 14:1
Valencia February-March 10:1

2. Mandarins
Kinnow Mid Jan.-Mid February 12:1 to 14%
Local December-January
3. Grapefruit
Red Blush November 6:1
Foster November-December 6:1
Marsh Seedless December-January 7:1
Duncan January 6:1
4. Lemon August-November

 Harvesting in early hours of the day when there is a heavy dew on the fruits or immediately after
rains should be avoided.
 Harvesting should be done with clipper by retaining a non-protruding short fruits stalk (button).
 Full grown sweet orange tree yield 500-1000 fruits.
 Well grown up Kinnow tree of about 10-12 years of bears about 1000-2000 fruits.

Grading and sizing of fruits

 Fruits of mandarin and sweet oranges can be graded into 4 categories.
i) Extra special : With minimum diameter of 8.1 cm.
ii) Special : With minimum diameter of 7.5 cm.
iii) Good : With minimum diameter of 6.8 cm.
iv) A : With minimum diameter of 6.2 cm.

 Fruits can be packed in boxes in 3 or 4 layers.

Post-harvest handling
 Proper stage of maturity is the prime factor for harvesting Kinnow fruit for storage.
 Fruits harvested too early or late in the season do not keep well in the storage.
 Little spoilage occurs by dipping kinnow fruits in 125 ppm Benlate for one minute, drying them in
air followed by wrapping in 100 gauge perforated polythene bags.
 Kinnow fruits can be stored up to 85 days at 0-3o-3o temp. and 80-90% relative humidity.
 Healthy unbruised Kinnows harvested during first week of February can be stored for 8 weeks at
prevailing room temperature by individually seal packing with electric sealer or rubber band in 10
micron thick high density polythene bags.
 Larger sized Marsh grapefruits store better than the small sized fruits at room temperature. These
can be stored for 60 days at 15-20oC.
 Treatment of harvested fruit with GA3 @ 30 ppm and wrapping in polythene bags (100 gauge)
considerably improve the storage life.

Problems in cultivation
Fruit drop
 Citrus trees bear large number of flowers and fruits, all of which they are unable to carry to maturity.
 Not more than 7-8 per cent flowers develop into mature fruits.
 The fruits drop in three definite waves.
 Initially unfertilized flowers and flowers with defective ovules fall.
 In second wave fruits drop in May-June due to water stress and also those with defective ovules.
 These two waves are not of much significance, as only under-developed fruits drop.
 The last wave of fruit drop, known as pre-harvest drop, occur just before fruit mature. It reduces
yield considerably, moreover fully grown fruits drop which have drawn full nutrition and exhaust
the tree.
 There are two main causes of fruit drop i.e. physiological and pathological.

 Physiological fruit drop

Causes : Climatic factors
: Disturbed water relations
: Nutritional factors
: Relation of seed to fruit drop.
 Physiological fruit drop is primarily due to the formation of an abscission layer at the point of
attachment of the fruits with twigs.
 This abscission layer form due to growth regulation imbalance within the tree.
Control
 Spray 2,4-D (sodium salt of horticultural grades) 10 ppm in September to check physiological fruit
drops.
 Do not spray 2,4-D, when dicot crop is inter-cropped in citrus orchard.

Pathological fruit drop

Causes
 Styler end rot.
 Stem end rot.
 Maximum Pathological fruit drop occur due to stem end rot and it is caused by Colletotrichum
gloeosporioides and Alternaria citri.
Symptoms
 Dark circular depressions with yellowish margins on leaves, branches and fruits appear. Later the
spots become raised, rough and light brown.
 Leaves and fruits acquire sand paper texture.
Control
 Sten-end-rot can be checked by spraying Bavistin 0.1% or Aureofungin 20 ppm or Bordeaux
mixture (2:2:250) at 15 days intervals after four months of fruit set.

Insect-Pests of Citrus
1. Citrus Psylla
 Active during mid April to mid October.
 Nymphs and adults suck the cell sap from buds, leaves and young shoots. Leaves gets curled and
shoots starts drying.
 Act as vector of greening disease.
Control
 Spray 625 ml Nuvacron or 1250 ml Rogor or 1000 ml. Metasystox in 500 litres of water in second
week of March and again in first week of September

2. Citrus leaf miner

 Active during April-May and September-October.
 Larvae attack the tender leaves/shoots epidermis by making serpentine mines which are silvery in
colour.
 Encourage development of citrus canker.
Control
 Spray 625 ml Nuvacron or 250 ml Sumicidin or 500 ml Ripcord or 1750 ml Decis at 15 days
intervals during flushing period in 500 litres of water.

3.Leaf folder
 Active during May to October.
 Larvae feed inside the leaves by webbing them together and start feeding from top to downwards.
 Plants become stunted.
Control
 Spray 625 ml. Nuvacron or 1250 ml. Dursban or 1000 ml. Ekalux in 500 litres of water.

4. Citrus whitefly
 Active from March to November.
 Both nymphs and adults suck the cell sap from tender leaves and shoots and reduce the vigour of
plant.
Control
 Spray 1140 ml Thiodan or 1000 ml Fosmite or 1250 ml Hostathion in 500 litres water during April-
May and September-October.

5. Mites
 Active during May-June of August-September.
 Damage leaves, flowers and fruits.
Control
 Spray Rogor 670 ml in 500 litres of water.

1. Bark eating caterpillar

 Bore holes into stem and branches and feed on the bark under the cover of its excreta.
Control
 Remove webbing and inject kerosene oil into the holes during September-October and January-
February
Spray Schedule:
 February-March ) 625 ml Nuvaron or 670 ml Rogor in 500 litres of water.
 May-June )
 July-August )
 April ) 1000 ml Thiodan in 500 litres of water.

Citrus diseases
Symptoms Casual Control
organism
1. Canker Xanthomonas Spray 50 g streptocycline and 25
 Yellowish spots appear on campestris pv. g CuSo4 in 500 l/water in Oct. ,
leaves which enlarge, turn Citri Dec., and Feb. or Bordeaux
rough & brownish and mixture (2:2:250) or 50% cooper
become raised on both sides oxychloride (0.3%)
of leaf.
 Fruits lesions become rough
and corky.
2. Scab Elsinoe fawcetti 3 sprays of Ziram (0.25%) or
 Small, dark brown, rough, Dithane–45 (0.25%) or Bordeaux
 irregular, raised besions on
underside of leaves.
 Twigs and fruits are also
affected.
3. Gummosis (Foot Rot): Phytophthora
 Profuse gumming, trunk Palmivora
girdling, pale green foliage,
stunted growth, flushes and
twig die-back. Gummy lesions
may also appear on
branches/limbs.
4. Whither Tip
 Drying of tips and branches
and even large limbs. Necrotic
circular areas on leaves. Fruit
rot
5. Melanose or stem and fruit
rot.
 Dark circular depressions and
yellow margins on leaves,
branches and fruits.
1. Virus and Virus like
diseases
 Greening: Stiff, upright Bacterium
multiple twigs and buds, small
chlorotic or mottled leaves.
Pre-mature defoliation. Die
back of branches
 Tristeza: Veinlet clearing in
young leaves. Nacrosis of
cells at bud union. Honey
combing of main stem.
Inverse pits on bark.
 Exocortis: Yellow blotch &
cracks on shoots with stunting Viroids
of trees.
 Ring Spot. Yellow ring on
mature leaves. Rings coalesce
to form bigger patch. Dieback
and decline of plant. Virus
transmitted through infected
bud-wood.
mixture (2:2:250) or 50% Co.
oxychloride (0.3%) during last
week of June to August at 20 days
interval.
Decortication and disinfection of
wounds on trunk with disinfectant
soln., cover wounds with B. paste,
apply B. paint and spray
B.M.2:2:250 or Treat twice with
Ridomil MZ as paint to( 2 g.in
100 ml. of linseed oil) trunk and
drench (25 g in 10 l/water) soil at
base of tree in February-March &
July-August.
Colletotrichum Remove infected twigs during
gloeoporioides February and spray with B.M.
Or (2:2:250) or 50% Co.oxychloride
Physiological (0.3%) during March, July and
causes September.
Phomopsis citri Spray B.M. (2:2:250) or 50%
Co.oxychloride (0.3%) during
July-August and September.
 Use disease free bud-wood.
 Control insect vectors citrus
psylla.
 Use disease free bud wood
and tolerant rootstock Jatti
Khatti.
 Check vector Aphid.
 Use disease free bud wood
and tolerant rootstock Jatti
Khatti. Sterilise cutting tools.
 Use virus free plants.
Citrus Decline
 It may be due to several causes, such as unhealthy planting material carrying viruses and similar
diseases, improper rootstock, defective soil, poor drainage, mis-management of the orchard,
malnutrition, insects, nematodes and diseases.
For the rejuvenation of declining citrus orchards, the following schedule is recommended:
 Remove dead wood during January-February before the new growth starts. Spray 2:2:250 Bordeaux
mixture immediately and apply Bordeaux paste to the cut surface and the trunk of the trees. Apply
Bordeaux paint to the trunk after a week.
 Add recommended doses of manures and fertilizers.
 Spray the solution containing 1.5 kg of zinc sulphate in 500 litres of water and Bordeaux mixture
separately (there should be a minimum gap of one week between the two sprays) in April, June and
September or on new growth flushes when the leaves have attained two-third of their size.
 Follow the recommended spray schedule against pests and diseases.

Granulation
 Granulation is a pre-harvest physiological disorder of citrus fruits.
 Juice vesicles dry up and become hard. Their colour becomes greyish.
 In affected vesicles pectin, legnin and other polysaccharides increase and TSS, sugars, acidity and
juice percentage decreased considerably.
 Sweet orange cultivars such as Musambi, Hamlin, Blood Red are much more prone to this disssorder
than mandarins.
 In general, environmental conditions that promote vigorous vegetable growth result in higher
incidence of granulation.
Factors affecting granulation
 Climate
 Species and cultivars.
 Rootstocks.
 Mineral nutrition.
 Plant growth regulators.
 Crop load
 Location of fruit on tree
Control
 Early harvesting of crop, as granulation become severe with advancement of maturity.
 Restricted amount and frequency of irrigation should be given.
 Spray of lime, zinc sulphate and Bordeaux mixture reduce incidence of granulation.
 Spraying of 2, 4-D, GA and NAA reduce incidence of granulation.
 Lead arsenate spray at 250-500 ppm reduce granulation.
Kinnow
Mosambi
Foster
Jaffa
Red Blush
Sweet lime
Kinnow
Local Mandarin
Galgal
HDPE Packaging in Citrus