Influence of rootstocks on growth, yield, quality and physiological activity of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin grown in a semi-arid region

Abstract

Introduction – ‘Kinnow’ has revolutionised the citrus industry of India. It is commercially grown on Jatti Khatti rootstock in the arid and semi-arid regions. The monopolised cultivation of ‘Kinnow’ on Jatti Khatti needs a substituted rootstock for diverse agro-ecological regions. Materials and methods – ‘Kinnow’ on seven rootstocks was evaluated to determine the effect of rootstocks on growth, yield, quality and physiological parameters. Results and discussion – Jatti Khatti and rough lemon induced vigorous tree growth, while the citranges induced dwarfness. Jatti Khatti, Rangpur lime and sour orange excelled in quality attributes. Karna Khatta and rough lemon maintained higher relative water content (RWC). Jatti Khatti enhanced the photosynthetic rate (A), while stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E) was higher on Jatti Khatti and rough lemon. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidise (POD), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were higher on rough lemon, whereas catalase (CAT) activity and proline accumulation were higher on sour orange. The study clearly indicated that rootstocks have the differential ability to impart significant influence on tree morphology, fruit quality and physiological activity. Conclusion – On the basis of plant vigour and yield, Jatti Khatti and rough lemon proved to be potential rootstocks for semi-arid region. Criteria such as enhanced photosynthetic rate, proline content, along with up-regulated antioxidant can be used as a reference for selecting appropriate rootstock representing different soil and climatic conditions.