Protected varieties
Many new varieties entering the marketplace are protected by Plant Breeder's Rights and a royalty is payable by growers.
Other conditions, such as minimum planting areas or prescribed pathways to market, may also apply. If you are interested in these varieties, talk directly to the Australian agent.
Gold Nugget
Available through nuleaf IP Pty Ltd.
This is a mid to late season variety developed by the University of California. It has pebbled to coarse, yellow to light orange skin. The coarseness of the rind can be a problem in young trees but decreases as the trees age and set more fruit.
Fruits have good eating quality, are usually seedless and relatively easy to peel. Trees can set very heavy crops which will require careful management. Skin texture is variable, especially on young trees, and can be quite coarse and pebbled when crop load is light.
In WA evaluations, seed numbers have been very low with most fruit having no seeds. A number of commercial plantings of this variety have been established in WA.
Mandalate
Available through ANFIC.
This late maturing Italian variety generally has no seeds and is similar to Imperial in tree habit, appearance and flavour. It may find a market niche if cultural requirements can be met.
Fruit needs to be held on the tree to allow acid to drop to acceptable levels. To achieve this, ‘stop drop’ sprays and gibberellic acid (GA) will be required. Crop load may need to be manipulated to increase fruit size and reduce alternate bearing.
WA testing has also demonstrated fruit can suffer from "rind spotting" similar to that observed in Encore mandarin in some seasons. No commercial plantings of this variety have been established in WA.
Murcotts (low-seeded)
A number of low-seeded Murcott types have been developed by irradiating standard Murcott to create mutations that produce fewer seeds. Selections available in Australia include Mor, IRM1, IRM2 and 2PH seedless Murcott. These are popular in Asian markets due to their smooth skin.
Mor
Available through ANFIC.
Originally from Israel, Mor is similar to Murcott in maturity time, fruit quality and appearance, but has an average of only three to five seeds per fruit.
IRM1 and IRM2
Available through FAVCO and ‘Carter and Spencer’.
These selections were developed by the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (formerly the Queensland DPI). They are very similar to standard Murcott but have only three to five seeds.
IRM1 matures about a week later than IRM2. Both have Murcott’s high sugar content.
Nectar
Available through ANFIC.
Fruit of this Israeli variety is generally seedless, even in mixed plantings. Trees require a high level of management to maintain fruit size, reduce alternate bearing and develop a productive canopy.
Testing in WA has produced fruit with good eating qualities but trees grown in sandy soils were slow to establish and alternate bearing was observed. Seed numbers were very low with most fruit having no seeds. Some commercial plantings of this variety have now been made in WA.
Orri (Or)
Available through Variety Access Pty Ltd.
An induced mutation of the variety Ora (Orah) made at the Volcani Research Centre in Israel, this has become their main export variety. Fruit may have up to seven seeds when planted in mixed blocks but will be almost seedless if grown in isolation.
The variety requires significant management to get it to crop in Israel, including pruning, girdling and GA sprays at flowering.
In WA girdling and GA application increased fruit yield. Fruit have recorded between zero and three seeds each depending on the season and location of fruit tested. Fruit eating quality is very good. No commercial plantings of this variety have yet been established in WA.
Royal Honey Murcott (RHM)
Available through Variety Access Pty Ltd.
This variety was discovered as a chance seedling in Queensland in 2001. Maturity is quite early with the Australian Maturity Standard being reached around mid-May at most WA evaluation sites.
Trials trees in WA have been shown to be vigorous with an upright growth habit and are likely to require good canopy management to obtain desired fruit quality and production.
One characteristic of this variety is that the acid levels of fruit are low and continue to drop rapidly if fruit are left on the tree. Fruit flavour is often described as sweet to bland depending on harvest time. This flavour profile could be suited to Asian markets.
Fruit are smooth and highly coloured, are quite easy to peel, and have very thin skins. The variety does have some seeds and numbers vary depending on the proximity of pollinator varieties. At WA trial sites up to 5 seeds per fruit were recorded.
Fruit splitting on young trees has been observed at WA sites but may be attributed to vigorous growing reworked trees. There is local interest in this variety but no commercial plantings have been established to date.
Tacle
Available through ANFIC.
The rind of this Italian variety is easily peeled, orange-red in colour and slightly pebbled. Fruits are mostly seedless and quite large. Trees are very thorny and take a while to come into production.
If conditions are cold enough, the fruit can develop red internal pigmentation and, under some circumstances, this can be enhanced in storage.
At West Gingin fruit developed no internal or external red pigmentation on the tree. No commercial plantings of this variety have been established in WA.
Tango (Tang Gold)
Available through nuleaf IP Pty Ltd.
Although this Californian variety has had limited evaluation in Western Australia some commercial plantings have been established based on evaluation and information from eastern states trialing. It is a seedless selection of Afourer which has been shown to produce seedless fruit in mixed plantings hence removing the need for isolation to produce seedless fruit.
Others
Many other new varieties are being evaluated around Australia but have not been included here as insufficient local information is currently available. They include Dekapon (Sumo Citrus®), Hadass, Mandared, Summerina and Winola. Further information on these is available from the relevant PBR contacts in Australia.