Growing Food: A Guide to Food Production

LIMITATIONS

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cocktail of chemicals may be applied, often to the detriment of the plantation

• threat to the entire global market, and allows, all too frequently, unacceptable
  working conditions regarding pay and health care to be imposed on their


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  fertiliser input, high light intensity and temperature, and a large and regular
  supply of water.

  
  

Citrus

Citrus limon—lemon (“citron” in French)
C. aurantifolia—lime (“limette”, “citron vert” in French)
C. sinensis—sweet orange
C. aurantium—sour (Seville) orange
C. paradisi—grapefruit
C. reticulata (Syn. C. nobilis)—tangerine, mandarin, satsuma (and Rangpur lime)

C. medica—citron (“cédrat” in French)
Poncirus trifoliata—trifoliate orange

: four examples:
C. reticulata X C. paradisi—tangelo, C. reticulata X C. sinensis -tangor

C. sinensis X Poncirus trifoliata—citrange

Citrus species have been cultivated by man since the earliest days, selecting the
plants with the juiciest fruits and the best flavours. Evidence has been found in
China of the cultivation of citrus fruit in about 2200 BC. The various species
hybridise readily, and there are an enormous number of complex hybrids. Mutations
(bud sports or bud mutants) may also arise in different parts of the same tree, and
within each species there are a large number of varieties.
They are grown in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate regions; limes,
grapefruits and pomelos (shaddocks) are more suited to the wetter areas, oranges and
mandarins preferring drier, cooler conditions. The kumquat(Fortunella spp.) is not
strictly a citrus fruit but is a member of the same family, the Rutaceae. The orange
or golden yellow fruit is ovoid or round, 1–4.5 cm in diameter and contains about
9% sugars and 39 mg/100 g Vitamin C.

C. maxima (Syn. C grandis, C. decumana or C. maxima)—pomelo (shaddock)

Hybrids
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Bananas are susceptible to damage by both insects and diseases, so that a

workers.

The current oligarchical position of the big three banana companies can be a

employees.

Sophisticated, expensive equipment is needed to store and transport the fruit in

large quantities.

The plants can be badly affected by wind and/or cold weather.

high level of management and labour to maintain yields.

Growing requirements of the plants are quite stringent: good soil and/or high

GROWING FOOD – THE FOOD PRODUCTION HANDBOOK

C. reticulata X Fortunella spp.—calamondin (Citrofortunella microcarpa)

A long time elapses from planting to the first harvest, and the plants then need a