To verify the effect of five substrate mixtures on the development of young sweet orange trees (Citrus sinensis cv. `Pera'), this study used the rootstocks Ranpur lime (Citrus limonia L. Osbeck), Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reticulata, Blanco), and Swingle citrumelo (Citrus paradisi x Poncirus trifoliata). The experimental design was in randomized blocks, 5 x 3 factorial (substrates x rootstocks). The different materials and their proportion studied were, respectively: 1) Soil (100%); 2) Soil (33%) + fine sand (33%) + manure (33%); 3) Soil (33%) + vermiculite (33%) + manure (33%); 4) Soil (33%) + wood chips (33%) + manure (33%); 5) Soil (25%) + wood chips (25%) + fine sand (25%) + manure (25%). Plants of Rangpur lime and Swingle citrumelo presented better growth rate as expresed in plant height and trunk diameter than those of Cleopatra mandarin on most substrates. `Pêra' sweet orange budded on those rootstocks also presented better fresh weight when compared to Cleopatra mandarin. All substrate mixtures were better than the control (100%) in inducing plant development. Different substrate mixtures affected each rootstock differently, but in general, the compositions with 1/3 soil and 1/3 manure in volume were the best to produce young sweet orange trees in containers.
Citrus sinensis; Citrus limonia; Citrus reticulata; Citrus paradisi; Poncirus trifoliata; propagation
