ENCORE and PIXIE …
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given complete control, and invasion by native grasses has been rapid. Conclusions ENCORE and These experiments, comparing Pi. cloram control data from several environ mental conditions and vegetation types ir two new mandarin southern California, lead to the conch sion that Picloram has certain advantage2 over standard brushkillers: (1) Carefu hybrids with unusually observation of plant condition following foliar application indicates that leaf kil occurs more slowly than with brush late seasons of use killers. This delay may account foi greater translocation of Picloram. Foliai applications require total coverage whiL Encore and Pixie are two new citrus hy- Riverside from May to June, and usually translocation may not be sufficient to kil brids, suitable for eating out of hand in is good until August or September. Fruit the entire plant if one or two branche! late spring to summer. Both were origi- shape is oblate, with little-to-no neck. escape contact. On the other hand, soi nated at the University’s Citrus Research The rind is thin and smooth, except for applications appear to be absorbed readilj Center in Riverside and evaluated pri- a slight pebbling at the base. A small navel opening is usually present. Over- and distributed throughout the plant marily in the Riverside area. Greatest consistency in total plant kill ha! all rind color is a yellow-orange that is been obtained with soil applications. (2) deeper at the blossom end than at the ANDARIN VARIETIES with main sea- Experience of other workers and observa stem end. The fruit peels easily, with very sons of use extending from as late little albedo adhering to the flesh. tions from these studies indicate tha asM June to August are rare in all citrus Picloram has a relatively long residua areas of the United States. ‘King,’ which life in the soil which may prove a distinc Encore mandarin is oblate, easy to peel, rich is perhaps a tangor, is one of the latest flavored and good until August at Riverside. advantage in brush control, since retreat maturing such varieties. ‘Murcott,’ a va- ment to control sprouting has been a1 riety of uncertain parentage, is unusu- expensive and time-consuming mainte ally late in season in both Florida nance problem. (3) The relative toleranci and California. Where the spring months of grasses to Picloram allows the invasioi are cool, the ‘Kara’ mandarin is some- of native grasses or the seeding of intro times good in flavor until July. Very late duced grasses to be accomplished. rea A mandarin types have the disadvantage sonable stand can probably be achievec that their fruit must remain on the tree during the season following treatment. through the winter and spring. This fruit J. R. Goodin is Assistant Agronomisl also meets severe competition from sum- Department of Agronomy, University o mer-ripening fruits of many other epe- California, Riverside; L. R.Green is Fuel cies. Nevertheless, the very scarcity of Break Project Leader, Pacific Southwes such citrus types makes them of interest Forest and Range Experiment Station both in the market and for breeding. S. Forest Service, Riverside; and V U. Citrus Research Center W.Brown is Farm Advisor, San Diegl County. The two new hybrids, ‘Encore’ and ‘Pixie,’ originated at the University of California Citrus Research Center from seed obtained by Howard B. Frost. Both have unusually late seasons of use. They have been evaluated at Riverside, and SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL the descriptions apply to this climatic CARD IN THIS ISSUE area, but some information on ‘Pixie’ has MUST BE RETURNED been obtained from other locations. Nei- OR YOUR NAME WILL ther hybrid has all the characters which BE DROPPED FROM THE MAILING LIST FOR make for an ideal variety, but each has CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE an unusual combination of qualities. Both are of good flavor and suitable for U.S. SUBSCRIBERS must also eating out of hand. ‘Pixie’ is almost com- include ZIP CODE with their pletely seedless in all locations tested. address or the Post Office Dept. ‘Encore’ is a cross of ‘King’ by ‘Wil- will collect first class postage with each issue delivered. low Leaf’ mandarin. A budline was main- tained at Riverside for some years, after which detailed studies of the hybrid were begun about 1954. The fruit ripens at 12 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, FEBRUARY, 1966 level until July or August. Tests with FRUIT CHARACTERS OF ‘ENCORE,’ ‘PIXIE,‘ AND ’KING,’ AT RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, ‘King’ indicate that levels of solids and DURING THE SUMMER’ acid are similar to those of ‘Encore,’ but Rootstock and Juice Soluble Ratio of ‘King’ fruits usually become soft and sampling date solids Acid solids to PIXIE acid stale-tasting earlier than those of ‘En- per cent core.’ ‘Encore’ mandarin Seeds in ‘Encore’ are numerous and Sweet orange Sept. 18, 1958 43.2 16.1 1.29 12.5 J. W. CAMERON usually plump and rounded, but some- Troyer citrange times empty. Cotyledons are usually July 29,1960 48.3 15.2 0.89 17.1 July 12,1962 49.1 15.5 0.89 17.2 R. K. SOOST white. The seeds appear to be mono- Aug.28, 1963 41.1 17.5 0.86 20.3 embryonic. The tree is moderately vig- Aug. 13, 1964 51.8 14.8 0.83 17.8 H. B. FROST I..,Pixie mandarin orous with many slender branches and Trifoliate orange few thorns. Leaves are slightly shorter Aug. 10, 1954 36.8 14.3 0.77 18.6 June 18, 1957 42.9 15.5 0.86 18.0 and narrower than ‘King.’ The bud union Troyer citrange and on sweet orange rootstock has been sweet orange The core is hollow from early matur- July 12, 1962 47.5 17.0 0.86 19.8 ity, but the fruit is firm with practically smooth; on ‘Troyer’ citrange there is July 11, 1963 34.1 13.2 0.60 22.0 May 19, 1964 42.3 12.8 0.81 15.8 no rind puffing. The flesh is tender, yet moderate undergrowth of scion at six years from budding. Bearing habit has ’King‘ (tangor?) parent firm; juice vesicles are small. Flesh color Sour orange been somewhat alternate. The fruit is July 11, 1963 34.4 14.5 0.76 19.1 is deep orange. Total soluble solids are Aug. 13, 1964 42.5 17.1 0.98 17.4 high to very high; acid is moderate to borne singly or in two’s or three’s, not in large clumps. * Data from several individual trees, all five years or slightly low, but the fruit may taste tart older from budding. until midsummer. Tests in several years ‘Pixie’ is a second-generation hybrid (see table) show that soluble solids and (or possibly a self) from open pollination trifoliate orange rootstock, but is only acid were maintained at a satisfactory of an F, hybrid between ‘King’ and slight on ‘Troyer’ citrange. Bearing habit ‘Dancy’ tangerine. Fruit of ‘Pixie’ ripens has been somewhat alternate. The tree at Riverside in April to May and re- Pixie mandarin is seedless, easy to peel. Season bears a c.onsiderable proportion of inside April to July at Riverside (photos natural size). mains good into July. Fruit size is small fruits; outside fruits are subject to sun- to medium and fruit shape is variable burn. Leaves are broad at the middle, -oblate to somewhat elongate. There is large for mandarin type. Petiole wings sometimes a neck. are narrow, sometimes nearly lacking. The rind is rather thin but not fragile; ‘Encore’ and ‘Pixie’ may have limited rind surface is grained-to-pebbled, with market potential because of certain fea- occasional furrowing at the stem end. The tures. Their lateness is both an advan- rind puffs very little. There is no appre- tage and a disadvantage. The small size ciable navel structure. Rind color is yel- of ‘Pixie’ and the rind color of both hy- low-orange to pale orange, and full color- brids are not ideal, but their pleasant ing is slow to develop in some seasons. flavor and ease of handling are in their The fruit peels easily without dripping favor. Climatic effects on rind color and juice, and little albedo adheres to the fruit size are very marked in citrus, and flesh. some growing areas will be more favor- The core is hollow, but the fruit can able than others for these fruits. Samples be firm into summer. Segment mem- of ‘Pixie’ from Tulare, Ventura, and hranes are easy to separate and the flesh Orange counties have been seedless and is fine-textured. Flesh color is medium of good flavor; but in the Coachella orange. Soluble solids are moderate to Valley desert area, the yield of ‘Pixie’ high, and acidity is rather low (see has been very light, and the fruit is dry. table). The taste is pleasant, milder than ‘Pixie’ should have appeal as a home ‘King’ by early summer, but the flesh garden fruit because of its seedlessness. sometimes becomes dryish by July. In the case of ‘Encore,’ it is not yet cer- Seeds are very rare, often only one tain whether isolated trees will set fruit or two in a sample of 20 fruits. Mixed without cross pollination by other citrus citrus plantings favorable to cross polli- varieties. Under the California domestic nation have never caused seediness in virus-indexing program, budlines of both ‘Pixie.’ Examination of the flowers in hybrids have been maintained free from 1964 showed normal-appearing stigmas tristeza, psorosis, vein enation and, ap- and styles, but abortion of mature pol- parently, exocortis. len grains, from four trees, was 95% or greater. James W.