851
Citrus General Discussion / Rootstocks Tolerant to Citrus Greening
« on: May 06, 2014, 10:16:56 PM »
The University of Florida's Lake Alfred breeding program has found several rootstocks that appear to tolerate greening better than existing trees, Grosser told several hundred growers at a Thursday morning seminar in Bonita Springs.
A commercial citrus tree is a combination of two varieties. A rootstock is designed primarily for the soil conditions in an area. A scion produces a specific fruit variety, such as a Valencia orange or a white grapefruit, is grafted onto the rootstock.
Tolerance means the rootstock has a lower frequency of greening infection or, if infected, the disease has less an effect on tree health, Grosser said.
The greening-tolerant rootstocks are ready for widespread field tests, at least an acre of plantings in various parts of the state, he said. That's the next test before one or more of the rootstocks can be released to growers for general use. - Millet
A commercial citrus tree is a combination of two varieties. A rootstock is designed primarily for the soil conditions in an area. A scion produces a specific fruit variety, such as a Valencia orange or a white grapefruit, is grafted onto the rootstock.
Tolerance means the rootstock has a lower frequency of greening infection or, if infected, the disease has less an effect on tree health, Grosser said.
The greening-tolerant rootstocks are ready for widespread field tests, at least an acre of plantings in various parts of the state, he said. That's the next test before one or more of the rootstocks can be released to growers for general use. - Millet