Argentine researchers present new mandarin varieties

Researchers from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) Concordia, Entre Ríos (Argentina), developed 2 new varieties of mandarins: Criolla INTA SS and Tardía INTA, which were recently added to the National Registry of Cultivar Property of the National Seed Institute.

According to Miguel Garavello, researcher at INTA, Criolla SS has the same appearance and growth habit as the mother plant, the Criolla mandarin (C. delicious Tenore). This variety is almost seedless (an average of 1.5 seeds in 100 fruits). In addition, compared to the common mandarin, which is mid-season, Criolla SS is mid-season-early.

The second variety, Tardía INTA, comes from a selection of nucellar seedlings of the Tardivo variety of cicadulli (C. delicious Tenore). Its general characteristics are similar to the other varieties of its kind.

Both varieties are sanitized using the in vitro stem tip micrograft technique of the Citrus Varieties Sanitary Improvement Program.

The main difference is in the quality of the fruit and the ripening period. They are of a late maturity (August-October), have a high juice content and do not have “puff”, which means that the rind of the fruit separates from the pulp.

Garavello specified that they were incorporated into the INTA Germplasm Bank and added that they will be included in the Citrus Certification Program in spring 2021, which will enable their commercialization in Argentina.

source: intainforma.inta.gob.ar

photo: infoagro.gob.ar