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The best
oranges and pummelos in the world can now be grown
profitably in Philippine farm and backyard. The quality of
these fruits is comparable if not sweeter than the imported
ones and not only that they bear fruits after only one and
one-half years from date of planting.
Bernie
Dizon, agriculturist and researcher of
Dizon Fruit Research
and Development Center at the University of the Philippines
(UP) Bliss Economic Garden, Don M. Marcos Ave., Diliman, Q.C.,
reported yesterday a breakthrough in growing oranges,
pummelos and other fruit trees by using double or multiple
rootstock (a single plant with two or more rootstock-trunk).
He said the technique makes the plant grow faster, more
resistant to pests and diseases and produce commercial
fruits earlier than the ordinary single trunk.
The Dizon Fruit R & D Center is now propagating these
varieties - Navel, Valencia, Hamlin and pineapple orange
from U.S.A., Satsuma orange (the most resistant to pest and
disease) from Japan, Ponkan orange from China, Cyprus
orange, Sungsung pummelo from Thailand, Davao pink pummelo
and other citrus and fruit trees. The center has also the
sweet local Perante orange introduced in the country by the
late Leonardo Perante.
Dizon said that these citrus varieties can be planted
successfully in any type of soil and mountainous area by
using the double or multiple rootstock.
The country can be self-sufficient and even a potential
exporter of oranges and pummelos. Brazil which has a hot,
dry climate like our country is now the number one orange
producer in the world which supplies 80 percent of the
international orange market. |
