Jake Price, University of Georgia (UGA) County Extension Coordinator, recently shared outcomes from a Nov. 19 harvest involving six Owari satsuma trees on X-639 rootstock, which were part of a pruning field trial. The trial compared the yield of three pruned trees, which produced 172, 239, and 207 kg of fruit, against three unpruned trees, yielding 258, 270, and 190 kg, respectively. Despite removing about 50% of the tree volume in the pruned specimens, the yields surpassed expectations, leading to considerations for more extensive canopy pruning in the future.
Price noted the fruit's green color and lack of sweetness, attributing the quality issues to unusually warm temperatures in October and early November and potentially to Hurricane Helene's impact. He highlighted the challenge of maintaining satsuma fruit quality in warmer climates, referencing the crop's poor performance in tropical regions like Florida and questioning southern Georgia's suitability for consistent satsuma cultivation.
With a shift among growers towards alternative citrus varieties, efforts are underway to enhance satsuma fruit quality through pruning and thinning. Additionally, Angelos Deltsidis, UGA assistant professor and post-harvest Extension specialist, is exploring the use of ethylene to degreen satsumas for earlier harvests. Results from these initiatives are anticipated in the coming years, with Deltsidis set to present his findings at the Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference in Savannah this January.
Source: Citrus Industry