Ram Badal Shah

DOI

ABSTRACT

Mandarin orange is the second largest commercially grown fruit crop of Nepal. It is indigenous to Nepal, but none of its variety is recognized because of variations in external and internal characters prevailing in mandarin growing areas of Nepal. To produce uniform fruits acceptable to internal as well as external quality sensitive markets,this problem must be overcome. This study was carried out to select mother stocks from local cultivars and to establish 'true to the type' genome that can produce quality fruits of uniform characters. For this study, 10 and 11 pre-identified mandarin trees were selected in Dhusa (Dhading) and Khoku (Dhanakuta) respectively. Qualitative and quantitative characters of fruits like shape, base, rind color, size and weight of fruits, number of seeds and segments, pulp color, rind thickness, juice percent, total soluble solid : total acid ratio were examined. Among the 11 trees of Khoku (Dhankuta) sample Krishna 1 stood on top with the largest fruit of 155.365g, juice content 32.67% and TSS:TA ratio 58:1. This was followed by Kewal 1 with fruit weight of 132g, juice content 40% and TSS:TA ratio 14.2:1. Khambjit 3b, Khambjit 1, Hikmat 4 and Khambjit 2 appeared almost similar with little variation in fruit weight, Juice percent and sweetness ratio. Therefore, above six trees and other two trees (Hikmat 2, Gajar 1) were recommended for at least one more investigation for final confirmation. Among 10 sample trees of Dhusa, Chiranjibi 2 was found superior quality with the largest fruit (232.5g), high juice content (50.86%) and TSS:TA ratio (19:1). Other seven samples namely Ran Bahadur 1, Kedar 1, Lila 1 & 2, Raghunath 1, Chiran 1 and Chiran 3 seemed almost similar (some with large fruit some with very juicy and some with high to very high sweetness ratio). Those samples were recommended for further investigation to confirm final selection of mother tree(s). The selected mother stocks (trees) would be recommended for varietal recognition and thereby to use as source plant for disease free true to the type sapling production.