Rootstock Effect on Physico-Chemical and Nutritional Quality of Mandarin ‘Clemenules’ during the Harvest Season

This study reports the influence of eight rootstocks (‘Carrizo’ (CC), ‘C-35’ (C35) ‘Cleopatra’ (CL), ‘Volkameriana’ (VK), ‘Macrophylla’ (M), ‘Forner-Alcaide 5’ (FA5), ‘Forner-Alcaide 13’ (FA13) and ‘Forner-Alcaide V17’ (V17)) on the physico-chemical and nutritional quality of ‘Clemenules’ mandarins at three harvest times during two seasons. Fruit quality parameters were influenced by rootstocks, and this effect was mostly harvest time -dependent. External color was overall influenced by rootstocks upon the first harvest. FA13 and C35 induced a breakthrough in color change, while V17 brought about the greatest color increase. CL and V17 initially delayed the fruit maturity index. In the last harvest, while CL had one of the highest maturity indices, V17 exhibited the lowest as acidity was maintained as harvest advanced. The CC and M fruit had the highest and lowest sucrose content, respectively. The highest glucose and fructose contents in fruit were induced by V17, FA5 and CC. The highest citric acid content was displayed by V17 in all the harvests. The FA13, C35 and VK fruit exhibited the highest malic acid content. The effect that rootstock exert on ascorbic acid and flavonoid content depends on the studied season. The results reveal the importance of conducting studies during different seasons to obtain robust results.