Citrus Growing – How to improve the quality of citrus
In an increasingly competitive commercial economy, the best way for citrus growers to compete in the fruit market is to improve the quality of their fruit. The quality of citrus fruit includes appearance and pulp.
The quality of citrus fruit includes appearance and pulp. Appearance quality includes fruit shape, size, skin thickness, color, smoothness, and so on. The internal quality of fruit includes texture, flavor, aroma, nutrition, and vitamin content. In addition to the inherent heritability of this variety, it is also closely related to the suitability of the cultivation environment and cultivation measures. The main cultivation techniques for improving the quality of citrus fruit will be introduced below.
1. Choose good varieties and improve planting conditions.
In the 1960s and 1970s, for example, many orchards were planted specifically for canned citrus. But the citrus grown in these conditions is not good enough for fresh food. It is not suitable for the fresh fruit market. Not only low price and large probability caused unsalable. Citrus production must be guided by market demand and produce competitive high-quality varieties on the market. High-quality varieties can also more easily drive the development of the high-end fruit market.
2. Select areas for cultivation according to the ecological suitability of the variety.
Different varieties have their own optimal climatic and environmental conditions. The right area produces good quality fruit. For example, China’s Xinjiang Aksu region of apples, Chile’s cherries, Taiwan’s pineapple, and so on. Planting according to the region is the basic condition of producing high-quality fruit. Citrus should also be divided into areas, for different varieties, choose the right place, try regional production, in order to give full play to the advantages of climate resources around the production of high-quality high-grade fruit.
3. To improve fruit quality as the goal of continuous optimization of cultivation techniques.
Some excellent cultivation techniques suitable for most orchards are briefly introduced:
(1) Reasonable planting density, make the tree independent, improve the community structure of citrus orchard so that the canopy can fully receive light.
(2) Improving the pruning technique of branches in the closed orchard. Enlarging the canopy surface area and increasing the amount of light received.
(3) Scientific fertilization technology. In particular, it is necessary to change fertilizer and nitrogen fertilizer into a more scientific ratio of fertilizer. Use organic fertilizer more, emphasizing the continuous supply of nutrient elements. Supply fertilizer according to the needs of different periods of crop growth, and give full play to the efficiency of fertilizer. Keep improving the soil. Especially to the heavy acid and alkali soil to adjust the pH value, in order to prevent aluminum ions and other heavy metals for citrus poisoning and the lack of various nutritional elements.
(4) Advocate reasonable amount of hanging fruit, strictly carry out fruit thinning, remove low quality, coarse skin large fruit, too large or too small fruit, malformed fruit and disease, and insect fruit, so that the retained fruit size is uniform, appearance, and fruit quality improve.
(5) Strengthen the protection of the orchard. Problems such as canker, scab, scale insects, fruit rust, etc., have a great impact on fruit surface and pulp quality. It is also necessary to prevent wind damage, sunburn, and cracking, and to minimize fruit surface spots.
Bagging citrus is a common means of protection, good paper fruit protection bags for rain, wind, and insect control have no small role. In the past, there was often feedback from orchards, where bacteria in the soil could return to the fruit after a rainy day and spread in patches causing bad fruit. But the use of citrus protection bags can play very good isolation and protection. And in the aspect of inclement weather, pests, and diseases, bird prevention has a good effect.
(6) Use water-saving irrigation, especially strict water control two weeks before harvesting. Conditional can be laid in the orchard reflective mulch, which can effectively improve the quality of the fruit.
If the above points can be accurately implemented in place, then the quality of the fruit is bound to be improved. And can guarantee the yield and stability of the orchard very well. To want to promote fruit quality, entering the fruit farmers of high-end fruit market is very necessary.
