Fresh citrus fruits

• Other Authors: Wardowski, Wilfred F, Nagy, Steven, Grierson, William
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Westport, Conn. AVI Pub. Co. 1986; ©1986
• Subjects: Citrus fruit industry; Citrus fruits
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.

 The growth and development of a citrus flower's ovary into a fruit ready to harvest takes 6-18 months or more, depending upon the type of fruit and particular cultivar. The developing fruit is subjected to a host of internal and external influences that may modify its inherent (hereditary) anatomical, chemical, and physical characteristics and physiological behavior to a greater or lesser extent. This is to say, a citrus fruit reflects both its ancestry and its particular history when examined at any stage. The particular rootstock-scion combination, type of fruit set (i.e., parthenogenesis, adequate pollination followed by seed abortion, or pollination plus fertilization for proper seed development), availability of essential nutrients, hormone levels, water supply, position on the tree (exposure to light, wind, and other environmental factors), and crop load are among the factors that determine or modify fruit size and external and internal qualities. An orange remains an orange and a grapefruit, a grapefruit barring an unlikely mutation; however, each of these and all of the other kinds of citrus (species, cultivars, and hybrids) still exhibit substantial variations among individual fruit. Knowledge of anatomical and physiological aspects of citrus fruits is necessary for predicting probable postharvest behavior (and consequent palatability) when the fruit are harvested, prepared in the packinghouse, and transported to the consumer's table (Soule and Grierson 1978).