\Slokmat news network
ICAR- Central Citrus Research Institute based in Nagpur has developed two new varieties of oranges and six new varieties of sweet oranges.
All these varieties are seedless.
These fruits would be visible all over Vidarbha markets in the next four to fiveyears which would provide a guarantee to improve the income of the orange growers, said director of ICAR-CCRI Dr M S Ladania.
For the last five to six years, efforts continued to develop these varieties on the research farms of ICAR-CCRI. After extensive research of five to six years, all these varities have borne fruit.
In a press conference organised to share this achievement of ICAR-CCRI Dr M S Ladania told mediapersons that from the next year, the graft of all these six varieties would be provided to the farmers.
All these varieties are early maturing varieties and they can be cultivate in water scarcity conditions and in less area. Hence, all these varieties would give better income to the farmers, M S Ladania hoped.
Blood Red Malta and Jafa varities have been brought from Brazil and along with other two varieties namely Westin and Hamlin, these four varieties belong to sweet oranges.
Similarly, Pearl Tangelo and Daisy are the two varieties of oranges which are fit for Vidarbha climate, M S Ladania added.
Jafa variety is of Israel origin and it can give yield up to 20 tonne per acre, claims ICAR-CCRI
Similarly, Blood Red Malta variety from Spain and Italy can give per hectate production ranging from 25 tonne to 30 tonne.
All these varieties are juicy and can be cultivated for production of orange syrup.
Pearl tangelo variety looks like mosambi. This fruit has less ph and is sweet in taste.
This variety can be an alternative to Nagpur oranges and starts giving yield from the fifth year from its cultivation.
ICAR-CCRI has claimed that it would give yield of about 12 to 13 tonne.
Daisy variety looks like mosambi and has been developed by crossing two varieties of oranges. It per hectare production is also similar to Pearl tangelo.
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These varieties have been developed from the research of the last five years.
These varieties are good for Vidarbhaclimate and their grafts would be available from next year. It would usher in new revolution for cultivation of citrus family.
Dr M S Ladania, director ICAR-CCRI