Satsuma mandarins grafted onto Swingle citrumelo for early season harvest in subtropical conditions in Brazil.

Although Brazil is the sixth producer of mandarins in the world, fresh fruit exports are neglectable, and few cultivars are available for the domestic market. Main harvest season comprises May to November, with Ponkan mandarin and Murcott tangor representing more than 70% of the production. Therefore, there is a need for alternative early season, seedless varieties that should also be preferably resistant to Alternaria brown spot. We investigated the horticultural performance of ten selections of Satsuma mandarin in subtropical conditions in Bebedouro, northern state of São Paulo, Brazil. Clausellina, Okitsu, Unshu SRA-529, Saigon SRA-227, Panaché SRA-579, Salzara SRA-341, Miyagawa SRA-444, Kowano SRA-167, FCAV-59 and A2 60.0 selections were grafted on Swingle citrumelo and evaluated up to 7 years old. Unshu, Miyagawa and A2 60.0 presented the highest tree size. These three selections, in addition to Okitsu and Kowano mandarins, resulted in higher fruit yield for the five first harvests (mean of 31.3 kg·tree-1·year-1). Panaché had the smallest yield efficiency. Miyagawa and A2 60.0 selections presented lower alternate fruit bearing in the evaluated period due to their early bearing habit. These same selections had the largest fruits with the earliest maturation; similar to the Okitsu mandarin, but with lower soluble solids and higher juice content. The overall performance of the Satsuma mandarin selections grafted on Swingle citrumelo and drip irrigated was promising under subtropical climate. The Okitsu, Miyagawa and A2 60.0 mandarins were selected because of their highest productive potential and their valuable quality traits for the Brazilian domestic market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]