Introduction to Citrus in Pakistan and List of Local Varieties

INTRODUCTION

Citrus are the fruits belonging to the Rutacease family and mostly from the genus Citrus which are usually mix of sweet and acidic fruits. They are widely cultivated fruits in the world with areas under cultivation and production increasing greatly from 2000 - 2010. Citrus is ranked world number 2 1st in Pakistan w.r.t its area and production among fruits. There is a huge demand from both the fresh and processed oranges by the consumer.

Citrus varieties

PRODUCTION STATS

According to FAO, Brazil is the largest producer of citrus in the world, followed by China and USA, data for Pakistan is not available. In Pakistan, it is cultivated its 95% area of cultivation is in Punjab because of favorable temperature and environmental conditions and the total production according to approx. 1.8 annually on an estimated area of 194,000 ha with the per acre yield standing at 4.6 tons.

IMPORTANCE AND USES

a) Sweet orange, mandarin and grapefruit are eaten fresh or processed for squash (sweetened fruit juice) and juice preparation. 

b) Lemon and lime are acidic in nature and largely used in preparation of culinary products such as pickles and for flavouring food items. They are also processed for juice, squash and lemonade. 

c) Citrus fruits are a rich source of sugar, citric acid and vitamin C, and they possess valuable medicinal properties, being used in the prevention of colds and malaria and to promote blood coagulation.

CLASSIFICATION

Taxonomy and sytematics of the citrus are very complex due to a large number of hybrids and the total number of species for citrus are also unclear. The system given by Swingle is common, which classify citrus into 3 genus, Citrus, Poncirus and Fortunella. He puts 16 species under Citrus, 4 under Fortunella and only 1 under Poncirus.

MAJOR CITRUS GROWING AREAS IN PAKISTAN

PUJAB

Districts of Sargodha, Jhang, Sahiwal, Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Mianwali

SINDH

Districts of Sukkur, Nawabshah, Khairpur

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Peshawar, Mardan, Swat, Hazzara, Nowshera, Swabi

BALOCHISTAN

Sibbi, Makran, Kech

CITRUS SPECIES BEING CULTIVATED IN PAKISTAN

1. Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfad.)

Local Varieties: Mash Seedless, Duncan, Foster and Shamber

Citrus paradisi Macfad.

2. Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco)

Local Varieties: Fuetrells Early and Kinnow

Citrus reticulata Blanco

3. Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck)

Local Varieties: Mausami, Washington Navel, Succri, Red Blood, Jaffa, Ruby Red and

Valencia Late.

Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck.

4. Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium L.)

also called, Seville orange, Sour Orange, Marmalade orange or bigarade orange

Citrus aurantium L.

5. Lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle)

also called, Key Lime, Bartender's lime, Omani lime or West Indian lime

Local Varieties: Sweet Lime and Kaghazi Lime

Citrus aurantifoulia (Christm.) Swingle

6. Lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) 

Local Varieties: Eureka and Lisbon Lemon

Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.

7. Rough Lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.)

It is the most common rootstock for propagation of citrus in the subcontinent.

Citrus jambhiri Lush.

8. Kinnow (it is a Hybrid of Citrus nobilis and Citrus deliciosa)

It was first developed at the Citrus Research Center at the University of California in 1935 and then Punjab Agriculture College and Research Institute Faisalabad (then, Lyallpur) Pakistan, introduced it in the sub-continent in 1940.

Kinnow 

It is a very famous citrus plant know for delicious juicy fruit. Environmental and soil conditions are ideal for kinnow in Punjab. Hence the kinnow is a prime export fruit of Pakistan which is in great demand due to its juicy, soft, scented and refreshing fruit not found anywhere else in the world. Seedless kinnow is also very popular.