Proceedings of the XLVI Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics - SIGA Annual Congress

Giardini Naxos, Italy - 18/21 September, 2002

ISBN 88-900622-3-1

Poster Abstract - 1.08

FOUR PROMISING HYBRIDS FOR ORNAMENTAL CITRUS MARKET

RECUPERO S., CARUSO A., CALDARERA F.

Istituto Sperimentale per l’Agrumicoltura, Corso Savoia, 190, 95024 Acireale, Italy

Citrus, ornamental, hybrids

In the last 15 years most Italian citrus nurseries have profoundly changed their traditional outlook and converted their activity to ornamental production. The Italian producers are currently the largest suppliers of the European market. With the aim of finding valid alternatives to the ornamental Citrus currently grown, twenty hybrids originate from the breeding program of the Istituto Sperimentale per l’Agrumicoltura di Acireale were observed in a commercial Sicilian nursery, from 1998 to 2000. Each genotype develops the traits required for marketing within 18-24 months of grafting. The parameters tested were: canopy volume, fruit number and weight, leaf colour, thorn less. Among the twenty genotypes, the most interesting for ornamental traits were: AMOA 8 (Moro sweet orange X Avana mandarin), AMOSI 10 (Moro sweet orange X Siamelo), C5393 (Monreal clementine X Fortunella hindsii), patented in 2001 as Reale, C4528 (Oroval clementine X Cavone 4x lemon) and P2S (Nules clementine X Tarocco orange).