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
| ROOTSTOCK | YEAR PLANTED | 2018 YIELD | 2018 BRIX | 2019 YIELD | 2019 BRIX |
| SOUR ORANGE | 7/2015 | 23 | 9.8 | 66 | 10.3 |
| KUHARSKI | 8/2014 | 79 | 10.6 | 181 | 10 |
| US-897 | 7/2015 | 33 | 9.4 | 70 | 9.4 |
| US-852 | 5/2015 | 68 | 9.9 | 102 | 9.8 |
| US-812 | 8/2014 | 92 | 9.9 | 146 | 10 |
| US-942 | 8/2014 | 105 | 9.5 | 147 | 9.6 |
| CLEOPATRA | 8/2014 | 46 | 10.5 | 133 | 10.1 |
| X-639 | 8/2014 | 78 | 10.3 | 187 | 10.4 |
| SWINGLE | 8/2014 | 62 | 11.1 | 97 | 10.2 |
| RUBIDOUX | 6/2016 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
