Varieties of Special Interest

Quick Links: Click on a name to go directly to that variety
Pixie Mandarin     Fisher Navel Orange     White Tangelo    IFAS Selections

Pixie MandarPixie Mandarinin

Credit: University of California Riverside

NVDMC is most interested in evaluating the Pixie Mandarin in Florida. The Pixie, an open pollination of a cross of King Mandarin and Dancy Tangerine. The fruit is roughly Clementine sized, seedless and very easy to peel. Although originally discovered in 1927, the Pixie has not become a commercial success until recently. In other climates, the Pixie is an alternate bearer and can take considerably longer to reach first fruiting than other varieties. The allure of the Pixie, besides eating appeal, is that it is late in the season and has a long harvest window. If the Pixie crops in Florida, and is not alternaria susceptible, it could be an option to the Honey-T. The variety is public domain. NVDMC has requested budwood and will make it available for trials soon after it clears quarantine.

Fisher Navel Orange

This navel orange was recently brought to Florida and is just clearing quarantine. It will be housed in the Chiefland repository. This navel is of interest to growers in the northern reaches of Florida’s citrus producing area, as it matures quite early. This variety is often harvested in October in California, so it is hoped that it may pass maturity tests in September in Florida.
A link to California information about the Fisher: http://ccpp.ucr.edu/variety/106.html
Bear in mind that harvest dates in Florida will be approx. one month earlier.

White Tangelo

Recently, some growers in Scottsmoor, invited NVDMC and USDA to see a tangelo that is unique to that area. The variety, called a White Tangelo, produces large fruit that is very juicy and quite sweet. The flesh is a much lighter color than other tangelo’s – hence the name. It is reported that this variety peels, but is somewhat drippy. Maturity is earlier than Minneola, thought to be November – December. The lineage of this variety is unknown, but it is thought to be a naturally pollinated cross. The flavor is very nice. Most of the trees were in poor health, thought to be the result of rootstock incompatibility. Budwood was taken from these trees and is in the hands of FDACS-DPI being cleaned up. This would likely be a niche market variety. Once through cleanup, this variety will be openly available.

IFAS Selections

NVDMC works very closely with the IFAS Plant Improvement Team and provides substantial funding for breeding, variety evaluation and consumer research. NVDMC Seeks to assist IFAS in the identification of varietal selections that will meet the needs of Florida growers. For the next several years, most new IFAS selections will be made available through what is called the Early Evaluation Opportunity (EEO) program. This program calls for IFAS scientists to patent their most promising selections and enter them into the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) process. From ITN respondents, IFAS selects a company or individual with which to negotiate. When successful negotiations are complete, the EEO selection will be made available to the Florida grower (likely with a royalty or fees as part of the agreement). Though these EEO selections exhibit qualities that are of interest, they remain unproven and extensive field trials have not been conducted. Growers wishing to plant EEO selections must agree to share details about their horticultural, harvesting, post harvest and market acceptance experience. This information gleaned from real world experience will be shared with the grower community and will in a sense serve as a temporary substitute for formal field trials. IFAS is offering this EEO program as a means of addressing the immediate needs of the Florida grower, but IFAS does not view EEO as part of their long-term strategy for bringing new citrus selections to the grower.

There are a number of new selections that are being readied for the IFAS EEO program.  Though NVDMC would like to share photos and information about these varieties within this site (after all, the same varieties can be viewed and sampled at monthly seasonal new variety displays), IFAS remains concerned that such information (shown by a third party) could compromise the patentability of the material. In recognition of IFAS’ concern, NVDMC has adjusted this site to provide the reader very basic information about the types of varieties that are in the development and release pipeline. NVDMC is encouraging IFAS to feature additional information about these varieties on its own site – and if this is accomplished – NVDMC will certainly provide links to same.

“High Quality January Mandarin Hybrid”

  • Matures in January, but hold nicely on the tree until April
  • Large in size, similar in size to Fallglo
  • Peels very nicely. Sections separate well and do not rupture or drip
  • Exceptional flavor
  • Good internal and internal color
  • Alternate bearing
  • Target EEO release – 2010

“Early-Mid Seedless Mandarin Hybrid"

  • Matures in November and holds into December
  • Small (approx size of Dancy) – uniform size and shape. Smooth skin
  • Easy peel
  • Decent external color. Internal color is standard tangerine.
  • Target EEO release – 2010

“December Seedless Mandarin Hybrid”

  • Matures in December. Thought to be one month harvest window.
  • Clementine size
  • Deep orange peel and deeper than average internal color
  • Virtually seedless. Early results were 2 seeds in 30
  • Very nice mild flavor. Believed to be superior to Clementine
  • Thin peel – that is tight to flesh and easy to remove. Hope is that it will ship well.
  • No information on crop set.
  • Target EEO release – 2011

“High Quality Juice Orange”

  • Matures in January – holds as long as a typical Valencia
  • Valencia derivative
  • Provides quality of late season juice in January
  • Seeded.
  • Target EEO Release – 2010

“Oct – December Unique Mandarin Hybrid”

  • Peels easier than navel, but not quite as easy as traditional tangerine.
  • Unique flavor that is popular with staff and those attending fruit displays.
  • No data available on lineage
  • Seedless
  • Medium size. About like a Temple.
  • Target EEO Release – 2011

“Large January Tangerine”

  • Matures in January. One month harvest window
  • Good flavor
  • Mutation of a traditional tangerine variety
  • Easy peel
  • Good color
  • Approx 8-10 seeds
  • Target EEO Release – 2011

 

 

 

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