Comparison of lemon varieties and rootstocks at Mildura, Victoria

Abstract

Five scions and ten rootstocks were tested in an eight-year trial at Irymple, near Mildura, Victoria. The scions were two old-line Lisbons, a nucellar Eureka, and two old-line Eurekas. Cumulative yields averaged for the ten rootstocks and expressed as a percentage of the best scion were : Rix Lisbon 100, Doncaster Lisbon 99, Frost Nucellar Eureka 95, Rodwell Eureka 89, and Villa Franca Eureka 73. The rootstocks, with their percentage yields in parentheses, were : Rough lemon (100), Cavanagh sweet orange (90), Symons sweet orange (84), Marsh grapefruit (73, Cox sweet orange (74), Cleopatra mandarin (72). Seville sour orange (721, Sampson tangelo (69), Emperor mandarin (69), and Carrizo citrange (30). The poor performance of Carrizo citrange is discussed in terms of virus infection and incompatibility. The incidence and importance of scion overgrowth is also reported and discussed.