Abstract
Effects of rootstocks on tree growth, yield and fruit qualities in very early ripening satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu Marc.) ‘Yamakawa wase’ were compared between a normal bare ground culture and a sheet-mulching culture from 2000 to 2002. The ground, for the mulching culture, was covered with a moisture permeable sheet from July through October. The order of trunk growth, canopy volume and yield were ‘Shiikuwasha’ > ‘Troyer citrange’ > ‘Rusk citrange’ = ‘Trifoliate orange’ rootstock. Although fruit quality such as Brix was low in ‘Shiikuwasha’, there was no difference among the other rootstocks. Furthermore, there was no difference in titratable acidity among the rootstocks. The ‘Troyer citrange’, vigorous rootstock with minimal fruit quality decrease, was considered to be a suitable rootstock for very early satsuma mandarin ‘Yamakawawase’ under a normal bare ground and mulching culture.
