Marathon mandarin: This variety (formerly known as 1420) is a new seedless, easy-peeler that will be available to Florida’s fresh citrus growers next year. Marathon fruit are easy to peel and are completely seedless under any pollination conditions. Fruit develop good external orange color as the season progresses, are well-flavored and pleasant, and very convenient to eat because of good segment structure. Fruit are larger and firmer than Bingo, and Marathon can be harvested in most cases without the need for expensive clipping.
The name Marathon was chosen to highlight the variety’s unique attribute: an exceptional ability to hold long in good condition on the tree. In the 2015 season, fruit were mature internally by mid-August, although externally they were still green with just the beginning signs of color break. As the season progressed, the Brix went from 12.5 in mid-August up to 17.4 by mid-December. Very significantly, the acidity declined only slightly, and the fruit retained its firm texture while external color became deeper orange. The ability to store fruit for a longer time on the tree can give growers and packers greater flexibility in harvesting to optimize returns and expand the marketing window.
Marathon has been released under the UF/IFAS FAST TRACK citrus release program. An invitation to negotiate will be launched later this year by Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP). Certified trees will be provided to licensed Florida citrus nurseries in early 2019 for budwood increase, and it is expected that Florida growers will be able to place tree orders in mid-late 2019.
