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Analyzing phenological stages of three citrus varieties at foothills, plain and

shoreline areas of Sari in North of Iran

Article · August 2013

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International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences.
Available online at www.ijagcs.com
IJACS/2013/6-8/452-457
ISSN 2227-670X ©2013 IJACS Journal

Analyzing phenological stages of three citrus

varieties at foothills, plain and shoreline areas of
Sari in North of Iran
Jalal Mahdavi Reykande1*, Negin Akhlaghi Amiri2, Mehrdad Shahabian3

1. Former Graduate student of Horticultural science, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch.
2,3. Associated Professor of Mazandaran Agricultural and Natural Resources Researches center Sari, Iran.

*corresponding Author email:Mahdavi.jalal66@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: Experiment was performed with 3 commercial citrus varieties (Thomson navel orange,
Satsuma mandarin cv. Miagava and Sugiyama) at 3 areas as foothills, plains and shorelines in Sari
as the location combined analysis as in randomized complete block design with 5 replications in
2012. Phenological and growth stages between the varieties, also for each variety in different areas
significant have differences. Generally, in all experiment areas, bud swelling and differentiation
stages, bloom start and beginning of Physiological abscission in Thomson navel orange happened
sooner than the mandarins. However, the fruit phonological maturity phases in mandarins have been
reported as earlier than Thomson orange. Also, the start of Phenological stages in Miagava
happened sooner than Sugiyama. All phenological stages in 3 varieties in foothills happened earlier
relative to varieties in plains and shoreline areas.
Keywords: Phenology, citrus, foothills, plains, shoreline, Mazandaran.

INTRODUCTION

Citrus are cultured in tropical and subtropical areas as a commercial crop in about 49 worldwide
countries. Iran especially Mazandaran province with abundant climatic variety is favorable for citrus culture and
has had a lot of advances in citrus culture and production in 4 recent decades (Akhlaghi Amiri and Asadi
Kangarshahi, 2010 ).
This climatic variety includes foothill, plain and shoreline areas than each of them has its own special
properties. In fact, they have major differences in terms of weather conditions. For example, foothill areas with
a distance of the sea level at eastern Mazandaran have lower temperature than shoreline and plains and have
a colder winter (www.Mazandaran.met.ir).
Growth and development in citrus has several stages that are controlled by various internal and
external factors in terms of time and place (Spiegel – Roy and Goldschmidt, 1996). For instance, environmental
conditions may influence some stages related to blooming and flower developme and prevent natural process
of these stages (EL- Otmani, 2000). Besides, at higher temperatures, citrus flowers bloom sooner; fruit mature
earlier, fruit size gets bigger and acidity level of fruit juice remains low Day and night temperature fluctuations
make fruit better coloring and sugar accumulation (Deris et al., 2003). Phenology in fact refers to the relation
between weather conditions and alternative biologic events. Besides weather factors, phenological stages can
directly or indirectly be influenced by three internal factors that may differ from season to season due to
difference in climatic conditions. In citrus gardens management, some suggestions are usually proposed
regarding a predefined calendar and generally for all areas that most of such areas don’t have a suitable
garden (Connellan et al., 2010; Bevington et al., 2003; Khorshidi, 2006). In a study to coordinate mandarin
production management methods in Butan, citrus phonology and growth stages have been designed during
which fruit growth stages has been divided into 3 phases. Recording Phenological stages can help to plan
scheduling all management methods such as fertilizer usage, irrigation, susceptible time of pests and diseases
control (connellan et al., 2010).
The effect of weather during the diverse stages of citrus phenology, production and crop quality has
been studied and it has been observed that phenological stages are influenced by weather conditions
especially temperature; thus they will be different from one season to another season (Khurshid, 2006). To
obtain fruit good size in Australia, various phenological stages in Valencia orange and Thomson navel orange
from flower induction to fruit harvest (May through July) have been recorded (Bevington et al., 2003). Based on
Intl J Agri Crop Sci. Vol., 6 (8), 452-457, 2013

Davis’ statements, weather has high effect on flowering and fruit quality so that fruit production will be different
in the Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical areas regarding the variety of weather conditions (Davies, 1994).
In a study in Spain, citrus flower bud induction, flowering and fruit set have been analyzed. Results showed that
winter low temperature has made flower bud induction; also in subtropical conditions, citrus have 3 growth flush
phases during a year (Guardiola, 1997).
Therefore, in order to allow horticultural operations better management and as a result, performance
efficiency increase and gardener’s economic profit, in this study, some key phenological stages of 3 eastern
Mazandaran commercial citrus varieties have been studied in 3 areas with various climates in Sari, in north of
Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study has been conducted on 3 citrus varieties (citrus sinesis cv. Thomson navel and Citrus
unshiu cv. Miagava & Sugiyama) in 3 Sari areas (foothill, plain and shoreline) as location combinend analysis in
randomized completly block design with 5 replications in order to analyze trees phenological stages in 2012
crop year. Foothill area with 115 M height, plain with 22 M height and shoreline area with 11 M height above
sea level have been chosen for this study.
To determine phenological stages, from each variety, 5 same age trees which had almost similar
morphologically conditions have been selected in each area and the trees phenological stages have been
regularly recorded at from January 2012. These stages include buds swelling (when buds diameter reached to
3 mm), differentiation (when flower organs were revealed under microscope), spring flush start, blooming start
(opening 5% of flowers), full bloom (opening 50% of flowers), end of petals drop (abscising 80% of petals)
spring flush end, physiological drop (Jone drop) start and end, cell expansion start, fall flush start and end, color
change start and physiological maturity (sugar to acid ratio) of fruit (Figure.1). Data analysis has been done by
MSTAT-C software.

1: Bud Breaking 2: Start of bloom 3: Full bloom

4: End of petal fall 5: Jone drop 6: Cell expansion

7: Colour break 8: Fruit maturity 9: Harvest

Figure 1. Key phenological stages for citrus

453
 Mean squares (Ms)

Source of

(df)
variation
(S.O.V)

Full bloom
Colour break
Fruit maturity

Bud breaking
Start of bloom
Cell expansion

End of petal fall

Bud differentiation
End of Joune drop

End of spring flush

Start of Joune drop

Starting spring flush

End of autumn flush

Start of autumn flush

Intl J Agri Crop Sci. Vol., 6 (8), 452-457, 2013

Location 2 754.39** 773.889** 970.556** 390.556** 411.667** 477.222** 965** 200.394** 186.2** 307.222** 176.467** 325.0 1694.8 300
89** 67** .20
0**

Error 12 0.725 0.722 0.722 0.389 0.389 0.389 0.278 0.144 0.233 0.278 0.322 0.511 0.122 0.6
22

Factor A 2 926.725** 1257.222** 1128.889** 135.556** 81.667** 160.556** 261.667** 180.867** 3292.867** 3320.556** 10.067** 5022. 6408.4 128
022** 67** 2.4
00**

LA 4 63.039** 93.889** 377.222** 13.889** 20.883** 47.222** 111.667** 31.867** 91.167** 40.556** 12.933** 43.75 252.33 21.
6* 3** 700
**

Error 24 0.358 0.472 0.472 0.556 0.556 0.556 0.611 0.728 0.650 0.528 1.089 0.511 0.822 0.7
39

C.V. % 2.7 1.46 0.93 5.83 4.56 2.99 2.67 1.95 1.17 1.01 0.72 0.40 0.44 0.4
0

**, * = meaningful at probability level 1% , 5%

Table 1. Varience analysis of phenological stages Analysis in locations, varieties and Interaction of location and variety

454
Intl J Agri Crop Sci. Vol., 6 (8), 452-457, 2013

foothills plain shoreline

35
30

Temperature (cº)
25
20
15
10
5
0

Figure 2. Monthly mean temperature of 3 various areas in Sari

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Phenological stages time by separating of experiment areas and varieties is shown in table 1.
phenological stages of Various areas and varieties had significant difference at 1% level. Based on weather
forecast data (Fig.2), generally average temperature degree in winter 2011 has been lower in foothill relative to
plain and shoreline. It has reported that low winter temperature causes flower bud induction in citrus (Guardiola,
1997; Strivastava, 2001; Garsia et al., 1992; Davenport, 1990). Thus, the start of bud swelling and
differentiation and spring flushes in all three varieties in foothill happened earlier compared with similar varieties
in plain and shoreline. Of course, server cold along with frost in early March caused delay in growth and heavy
loss of Thomson flower buds in plain and shoreline areas. Also, on foothills, due to lower mean temperature,
the majority of inflorescences were leafless that match with the other researchers’ result (Guardiola, 1997).
Regarding that flowering in leafless inflorescence takes place sooner than leafed inflorescences
(Guardiola, 1997), thus, early beginning of flowering on foothills in all three varieties relative to its similar
varieties in plain and shoreline areas has been probably due to leafless inflorescences. Full bloom and late
flower stages with almost similar time intervals relative to flowering start phase happened in all 3 varieties and
areas. Citrus physiological drop is usually as the result of competition between fruitlets for water and nutrient.
(Burens, 1998; Ruiz et al., 2002). The interval between start and end of physiological drop in Miagava mandarin
in all 3 areas was shorter than Sugiyama mandarin and Thomson orange. In all three varieties and areas, after
physiological drop is over, fruit enter the second growth stage that is cell expansion agreeing with the other
researchers’ results (Bevington et al., 2003; Khurshid, 2006). Fall flushes in all three varieties and areas begin
as temperature decreases in mid September that happens sooner on foothills due to lower temperature
(Guardiola, 1997). Color change phase begins sooner in Miagava tangerine along with gradual temperature
decrease. Also color change in foothill was earlier than the other areas for all three varieties. It is reported that
under the effect of low temperature, citrus skin color change, skin chlorophyll decrease and chloroplast convert
into chromoplast (Iglesias et al., 2007). Considering the process of sugar increase, decreasing fruit acidity and
maturity index that is sugar to acid ratio (8:1), in foothill fruits reached to physiological maturity than other
areas. Based on study findings, citrus sugar difference is as a result of weather conditions, nutrition, trees age
and fruit condition on trees. Also, reduction of fruit acidity is regarding to temperature degree and evaporation,
long rainfalls and high irrigation at fruit maturity times result increasing of fruit acidity rise (Grierson et al., 1986;
Hardy and Sanderson, 1994; Davies and Albergio,1994).
º
As mean temperature gets close to 15 c ,fall flushes growth almost stops which occurs sooner in
foothill area. It is correspond with the other researchers’ results that stated root, shoot and fruit growth stops at
º
temperature below 13 c in citrus (Hardy and Kuorshid, 2007). On the other hand, Miagava mandarin has
shorter fall growth and its growth flush in all three areas end sooner than sugiyama mandarin.

455
Intl J Agri Crop Sci. Vol., 6 (8), 452-457, 2013

Figure 3. Phenological stages in 3 citrus varieties in 3 various areas in Sari.

CONCLODING REMARKS

Generally, it can be started that regarding low temperature in foothill relative to plain and shoreline, the
start of bud swelling and differentiation, flowering start, physiological drop, fruit color break and maturity in all 3
varieties happened earlier in foothill compared with similar varieties in plain and shoreline areas. Of course, in
terms of difference between varieties in the 3 areas, bud swelling and differentiation, flowering and
physiological drop happened sooner in Thomson orange than mandarins. in contrast, in mandarin fruits,
maturity and color break happened earlier. To obtain more accurate results, continuing research is proposed for
some years.

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