Two New Citrus Cultivars Approved By UF/IFAS
April 30, 2014 Two new citrus cultivars with high industry interest are among 13 recently approved for release by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
The UF/IFAS Cultivar Release Committee voted April 15 to release UF 711 and RBB 7-34, two new citrus cultivars. Fred Gmitter, a citrus genetics and breeding professor at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, told the panel growers are excited to field-trial the two cultivars.
UF 711
Photo courtesy of UF/IFAS
UF 711 is an easy-to-peel mandarin, while RBB 7-34 is a new navel orange-like variety with much more color and flavor than ordinary Florida navels, Gmitter said. Both varieties were deemed to be good-tasting, as well.
UF RBB 7-34
Photo courtesy of UF/IFAS
UF 711 and RBB 7-34 will be released under the UF/IFAS Citrus Fast Track Release Option, which means they will be made available to growers and, thus, the market, 10 to 15 years faster than the 15 to 20 years typically required to breed and release such cultivars.
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