ABSTRACT
The size reduction that the rootstock Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa 'Flying dragon' gives the plants grafted on it can facilitate the cultivation, allow the planting density and increase production efficiency, depending on the cultivar and growing conditions. For orange cultivars, there is information scarcity about the use of 'Flying dragon' as rootstock, mainly in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Thus, an experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the performance of sweet oranges and acid lime 'Tahiti' grafted on the rootstock 'Flying dragon' during the young phase of the orchard, using the 'Rangpur' lime as a standard for comparison. The experiment was conducted on irrigated cropping systems, in edaphoclimatic conditions of the northern Rio de Janeiro. The experimental design was a randomized block, in a 2 × 5 factorial, being evaluated the 2 mentioned rootstocks and 5 canopies cultivars. The evaluated canopies cultivars were the acid lime 'Tahiti' and the sweet oranges 'Natal', 'Bahia', 'Lima Sorocaba' and 'Pera'. Biometric evaluations were made to estimate the vegetative vigor index (VVI), the canopy volume and coverage rates in the lines and rows of cultivation, reached 36 months after planting. Under the conditions of this experiment, it was found that the rootstock 'Flying dragon' reduced height, VVI, the coverage rates in the lines and rows, and the canopy volume of plants grafted on it, when it was compared to 'Rangpur' lime, but the reduction capacity was dependent of the canopy cultivar.
Key words:
Citrus limonia; planting density; irrigated planting; Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa; vegetative vigor index; canopy volume