By: Jake Price (UGA Extension, Lowndes County, GA – jprice@uga.edu) and Dr. Kim Bowman (Rootstock geneticist, Ft. Pierce, FL – Kim.Bowman@usda.gov)

Purpose: Identify the best commercially-available rootstocks for ‘Owari’ satsumas, based upon effects on fruit yield, fruit quality, cold-hardiness, tree health, fruit size, and tree size.

Background: In 2014, Lowndes Extension began growing ‘Owari’ satsuma trees on standard and new hybrid rootstocks in a replicated research plot to help citrus growers determine what rootstocks to use with satsumas. In addition to commonly used Poncirus trifoliata rootstocks such as ‘Rubidoux’, ‘Rich 16-6’, and ‘Flying Dragon’, recently released trifoliate hybrid rootstocks developed by Dr. Kim Bowman of the USDA-ARS in Ft. Pierce, Florida are being evaluated. Each year, as the trees mature, data is being collected to show how each of these rootstocks perform with the ‘Owari’ satsuma scion.   The data below show yield and Brix for 2018 and 2019.  Additional information on citrus rootstocks and 2019 data for the ‘Owari’ satsuma trial can be found at Dr. Bowman’s website

Location:  Valdosta, GA

Number Rootstocks: 9

Experimental Design: Randomized complete block, 6 reps × 1 tree/rootstock

Spacing: 12 ft. × 20 ft. (3.6 m × 6.1 m)

Yield and Brix Summary Table

ROOTSTOCKYEAR PLANTED2018 YIELD2018 BRIX2019 YIELD2019 BRIX
SOUR ORANGE7/2015239.86610.3
KUHARSKI8/20147910.618110
US-8977/2015339.4709.4
US-8525/2015689.91029.8
US-8128/2014929.914610
US-9428/20141059.51479.6
CLEOPATRA8/20144610.513310.1
X-6398/20147810.318710.4
SWINGLE8/20146211.19710.2
RUBIDOUX6/2016NANANANA