The mandarin production achieves economic expression in some Brazilian states, mainly in São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. In recent years a growing interest in these mandarins has been observed in São Paulo, possibly due to the economic viability of maintaining the orchards of the main commercial varieties, Ponkan mandarin and Murcott tangor, due to high susceptibility to alternaria brown spot (ABS). The objective of this study was to characterize 33 accessions of willowleaf mandarins to ‘Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Citros’ of the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (‘BAG Citrus IAC’), to select varieties with good horticultural characteristics as mass, height and width of fruit, skin color, juice content, acidity, soluble solids and Ratio, and tolerance to ABS and that can be marketed in other periods of the year in comparison with the Rio IAC 194 mandarin, standard variety - which ripening is half station. The results showed that to about 85% of the mandarin accessions evaluated in the field and in vitro were resistant to ABS. Was selected five hits early and later eleven more than Rio IAC 194, which can be good alternatives for the extension of the period of harvest of mandarins in the State of Sao Paulo.
Citrus deliciosa; Alternaria alternata; disease resistance
