SELECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SWEET ORANGE TREES IN THE STATE OF ACRE, BRAZIL

Aiming to select sweet orange trees cultivated in the state of Acre, Brazil, that have desirable characteristics, such as yield and period of fruit supply, the selection and characterization of superior genotypes were carried out in 1999. The identification and characterization of plants were done during the main harvesting season, being considered the age, phenology and physiology of the orange trees. Fifty-four plants were selected, ranging from 12 to about 100 years old (according to the producers). There were 22 years old average. The mean plant height, circumference of the trunck and diameter of the canopy were 7,42 m, 0,99 m and 6,00 m, respectively. The harvesting period of most of the selected orange trees extended from February to October, concentrated from April to July. Only 5,45% of them had continuous production. Among the sweet orange genotypes selected, there are promising materials to be used as rootstocks and as varieties for local consumption.

plant breeding; varieties; rootstocks