Temperate Climate Embrapa, in collaboration with universities, rural extension and public and private research institutions, launched, this past Wednesday (20/3), a new variety of citrus and another type of fodder for farmers in the South of Brazil. The launch took place at the institution's stand in Expoagro Afubra 2013, held in the city of Rio Pardo (Rio Grande do Sul). The main feature of both developments, resulting from the genetic improvements achieved by agricultural researchers, is high productivity.
The hybrid Mandarin URSBRS Hada is a late tangor resistant to the citrus canker, early blight and the brown spot. It's a very productive crop, capable of producing between 25-30 tonnes per hectare.
In Rio Grande do Sul, the maturation of the fruit is late and the harvest occurs between October and December, and can be advanced or delayed depending on the average temperature of the region. The crop management requires thinning and pruning for an annual production of high quality fruit. The unripe fruits can be used for the extraction of essential oils, and the ripe ones, which weigh on average 160 grams, can be consumed fresh and used in the production of juice.
As for forage, the novelty is the dwarf elephant grass BRS Kurumi, developed through genetic crosses and selection, superior to the Mott variety, in terms of production. The low growing variety differs from the tall grass by having shorter internodes, although a high proportion of leaves. These features, according to researchers, give it a better quality and make it easier to handle.