Sweet Mandarin Orange

Here’s a detailed description and farming guide for Sweet Mandarin Orange:

🍊 Sweet Mandarin Orange – Description

Short Description:
Sweet Mandarin Orange is a small to medium-sized citrus fruit known for its loose skin, easy peelability, and sweet, juicy segments. It is highly popular for fresh consumption and juice.

Popular varieties include Kinnow, Dancy, Ponkan, Clementine, and Murcott.

🌱 Sweet Mandarin Orange Farming

1. Climate & Soil

• Climate: Subtropical to tropical climate; ideal temperature range is 15°C to 30°C.
• Frost-sensitive: Avoid cold winters or frost-prone areas.
• Soil: Well-drained loamy or sandy loam soil with pH 5.5–7.5.

2. Planting

• Spacing: 4.5 x 4.5 m or 5 x 5 m for regular orchards.
• Propagation: Grafted plants or budded on rough lemon or trifoliate orange rootstocks.
• Planting Time: June–July or February–March (depends on irrigation availability).

3. Irrigation

• Young plants: Every 7–10 days.
• Mature trees: At flowering and fruiting stages; avoid waterlogging.

4. Manures & Fertilizers

• Organic manure: 10–15 kg FYM per tree/year.
• Fertilizer recommendation per tree/year (for 3+ years old tree):
  • Urea: 500–600 g
  • DAP: 200–300 g
  • MOP: 200–250 g
  • Micronutrients (Zn, B, Fe) as needed.

5. Pruning & Training

• Prune weak, dead, or crossing branches.
• Maintain open canopy for sunlight penetration and air circulation.

6. Flowering & Fruiting

• Begins after 2–3 years of planting.
• Full commercial yield after 5 years.
• Fruits mature in December to February depending on the variety.

7. Pests & Diseases

• Pests: Citrus psylla, fruit fly, aphids, leaf miner.
• Diseases: Citrus canker, gummosis, greening disease (HLB).
• Management: Neem oil sprays, copper oxychloride, Bordeaux mixture, and integrated pest management (IPM) practices.

8. Harvesting & Yield

• Harvesting: When fruits turn fully orange and are sweet; avoid premature plucking.
• Yield: 10–20 kg/tree in early years; 50–70 kg/tree after full maturity (8–10 years).

Would you like details for a specific Sweet Mandarin variety like Kinnow, Ponkan, or Murcott?