Author Topic: meyer lemon Improved or not ?  (Read 1954 times)

asrar

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meyer lemon Improved or not ?
« on: June 04, 2014, 06:16:18 PM »
Hej,
I bought meyer lemon from local general store in their plants section. And meyer lemon had some information tag with it which describes the only webiste.
www.citrusplants.info and im wondering if this meyer lemon is improved or not? There is picture on this link
[urlhttp://citrusplants.info/plants/meyer-lemon][/url]
thanks for help

citrange

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Re: meyer lemon Improved or not ?
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2014, 01:30:53 PM »
Most Meyer Lemon trees in the USA used to be symptomless carriers of the Citrus tristeza virus.
However in 1975 a virus-free clone was introduced and distributed under the name Improved Meyer, and all older trees were supposed to have been destroyed - or at least never propagated from.
I have never managed to ascertain whether plants in Europe were all sourced from the USA and virus free.
However, from the point of view of a single potted plant, there is no observable difference between the two.
The virus produces no symptoms in the Meyer Lemon.

Millet

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Re: meyer lemon Improved or not ?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2014, 10:06:36 AM »
As Mike wrote above, the improved Meyer lemon is a virus free form of the original Meyer lemon.  In the 1940's the original Meyer lemons were found to be a carrier of the tristeza virus.  As a carrier of the fatal virus, it passed the virus to other citrus varieties, but never shown any of the symptoms itself.  The propagation and sale of the original Meyer lemon was banned 20 or 30 years ago.  Luckily in the early 50's a virus free tree was found by none other than Don Dillon, the founder of the Four Winds Growers dwarf citrus company, a very popular California dwarf citrus tree propagator and supplier. I have purchased many excellent quality citrus tree from them.  After Don's tree was certified by the University of California to be indeed free of tristeza, it was release for propagation and sale to the general public.  The Improved Meyer lemon has mostly been grown only as a back yard tree, and never as a commercial tree, as its fruit does not holdup well under long distance shipping. We owe word of thanks to Don Dillon for all the Improved Meyer lemons we are able to enjoy today. - Millet