by kind of rootstock, 1952-56 TABLE 12.-Percentage of fruit that is juice: Seasonal changes in tangelos by variety and by kind of rootstock, 1952–56 tangelos by variety and by kind of rootstock, 1952-56 TABLE 14.-Color of rind: Seasonal changes in tangelos by variety and by kind of rootstock, 1952–56 1 had only a slight effect on rind color (table 14). Color and Texture of Flesh The changes in color and texture weight of the fruit and volume of juice were not influenced by kind of rootstock. These findings on young trees were in general agreement with the averages of all trees. of the flesh are shown in tables 15 Yearly Variations in Chemical and and 16. The flesh of the Orlando and Minneola tangelos was yelloworange in October, became orange by November and remained so during the November to February period. Seminole tangelos changed from orange-yellow to yellow-orange to orange at about minimum maturity. Thornton tangelos retained a tannish-yellow color throughout the harvesting season. The different rootstocks had no apparent effect on color or texture of the flesh. In October the flesh texture of Orlando, Thornton, Minneola, and Seminole tangelos was classified as "coarse." As each variety reached the stage of consumer acceptability, the texture became "good." Physical Factors Yearly variations in chemical and physical factors are illustrated by a comparison of Orlando tangelos on rough lemon, sour orange, and Cleopatra rootstocks (figs. 5 to 7). In the four year period the greatest differences were noted between the 1953-54 and the 1955-56 crop years. During the 1953-54 season the weight of fruit, volume of juice, and pH values were high, and total solids (fig. 5), total acid (fig. 6), and ascorbic acid concentration were low. The low acid content resulted in a high solids-toacid ratio early in the season and is reflected in consumer acceptance of early harvested fruit, according to palatability tests for that year Influence of Kind of Rootstock on Fruit (fig. 7). On the other hand, in Quality Slight differences in total solids, total acid, ascorbic acid, and palatability were associated with kind of rootstock (tables 2, 5, 6, 8). There was very little difference in weight of fruit, rind color, active acidity, or color or condition of flesh attributable to kind of rootstock (tables 9, 10, 14, 15, 16). The effect of rootstock on fruit characteristics of young Orlando variety trees is shown in data presented in table 17. These trees were 5 years of age and were grown under similar cultural conditions. Fruit from trees on Cleopatra rootstock had significantly higher total solids, total acid, and palatability ratings than fruit from trees on crop year 1955-56, the weight of fruit and volume of juice were low, and total solids, total acid, and solids-to-acid ratio were high. Palatability, however, was not appreciably different from the 1952-53 and 1954-55 crop years. (Appendix table 18.) Undoubtedly variations in yearly rainfall influenced these factors. The year 1953 was the second wettest since 1891 with a Statewide average of almost 15 inches above normal (19). The precipitation in 1955 totaled only a little over 42inches and was about 80 percent of average expectancy (20). As previously pointed out, sunshine, soils, fertilizers, cultivation, spraying, and dusting may also have affected these factors. |
