Mongi Zekri
Thomas A. Obreza,
Robert Koo
UF | IFAS Extention
University of Florida
Florida has the highest citrus fruit quality standards in the world. The most important quality factors for Florida citrus growers, production managers, processors, and packers include fruit juice content, soluble solids and acid concentrations, soluble solids-acid ratio, fruit size, and color. Florida citrus growers discern between quality factors for the fresh and processing markets. For example, fruit size, shape, color, and maturity date are most important for fresh fruit, but high juice content and soluble solids are desired for processing fruit.
Fruit quality is affected by several factors including cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pests, irrigation, and nutrition. The effects of irrigation and nutrition on fruit quality are important and should be understood and taken into consideration by citrus growers and production managers to increase profitability and enhance sustainability and worldwide competitiveness. In general, excessive irrigation and fertilization reduce fruit quality. Therefore, supplying sufficient nutrition and using sound irrigation scheduling techniques should be high-priority management practices for every grower. Citrus trees require a properly designed, operated, and maintained water management system and a balanced nutrition program formulated to provide specific needs for maintenance and for expected yield and fruit quality.
