RESPONSE OF AUSTRALIAN SWEET ORANGE VARIETIES ON CITRUS ROOTSTOCKS UNDER AGRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The response of Australian sweet orange varieties budded on different rootstocks under the agro- climatic condition of Peshawar was evaluated at Agricultural Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar during the year 2013. Six different sweet oranges of scion varieties (Arnold Blood, Ryan, Harvard, Cara Cara Navel, McMahan Valencia and Salustiana) were budded on four different citrus rootstocks (Cox Mandarin, Carrizo Citrange, Troyer Citrange and Sour orange) in Randomized Complete Block Design with two factors, replicated three times. The analysis of data showed a significant variation for growth response of sweet orange varieties budded on four citrus rootstocks. The Cara Cara Navel variety gave maximum bud sprouting (84.17%), buddling thickness (6.28 mm), buddling length (41.18 cm), number of leaves buddling-1 (68.54), leaf area (33.83 cm2 ) and number of branches (5.50) and took less days to sprouting (35.43). The Ryan variety gave plants with maximum root length (38.17 cm) and root volumes (28.75 cm3 ). Different citrus rootstocks used significantly affected the sweet orange varieties. The maximum bud sprouting (63.33%), buddling thickness (7.43 mm), buddling length (48.83 cm), number of leaves buddling-1 (67.94), leaf area (29.12 cm2 ), number of branches (4.89) and survival (72.22%) was observed in the plants budded on Troyer Citrange rootstock and also took the minimum days to sprouting (39.48). The Cox Mandarin rootstock gave plants with maximum root length (40.56 cm) and root volume (30.28 cm3 ). The interaction between Australian sweet orange varieties and citrus rootstocks was also significant on almost all the parameters. The Cara Cara Navel variety budded on Troyer Citrange rootstock gave plants with maximum sprouting, buddling thickness, number of leaves buddling-1 , leaf area and also took minimum days to sprouting (30.13). The Cara Cara Navel when budded to Carrizo Citrange resulted in maximum number of branches. The Ryan sweet orange budded on Cox Mandarin rootstock produced plants with maximum root length and volume. The maximum buddling length was observed in Salustiana variety budded on Troyer Citrange. The McMahan Valencia budded on Cox Mandarin gave plants with maximum leaf area and took minimum days to sprouting. Keeping in view the above facts it was concluded that the nursery plant growth performance of variety Cara Cara Navel budded on Troyer Citrange was outstanding among all other scion and rootstocks varieties under the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar.