A new generation of easy-to-peel, seedless citrus varieties that rival bananas for convenience eating is one target of a major cooperative research project between NSW DPI and Auscitrus.

The project, coordinated by Dareton-based NSW DPI researcher Graeme Sanderson, involves the largest importation of new citrus varieties into Australia since the 1980s.

“Industry and individuals have scoured the world to source new varieties with potential and we have recently started planting them out for evaluation at different sites around the country,” said Mr Sanderson.

“In all, we will be assessing 30 new varieties from countries such as South Africa, Israel, Morocco, China, Spain and Italy – mainly mandarin types.”

Mr Sanderson said the project has the potential to revitalise the citrus industry by offering growers new varieties that meet modern consumer niche markets both here and overseas.

“In today’s busy society people want to eat fruit on-the-go,” said Mr Sanderson.

“Easy-to-peel, seedless fruit meets this need and is in big demand around the world.

“We have to be able to compete internationally with countries who are already heading in this direction.

“Of course the fruit also has to meet criteria for juice and sugar content, flavour, eye appeal and a range of other factors important to consumers.”

Mr Sanderson said the project was also looking to extend the harvest season for mid season, juicing oranges and to provide more producer options in seedless lemons, among other targets.

“This is the second major wave of citrus varieties imported from overseas,” he said.

“The first wave began in the late 1980s when a range of 62 citrus types was brought into the country and this has helped broaden the current suite of modern plantings.

“This new range of imports will improve our chances of successfully producing citrus fruit that meet the needs of changing markets and offer good returns to growers.”

Mr Sanderson said the project is to run till 2009 and will establish citrus variety evaluation sites in NSW (2), South Australia (1), Queensland (1) and Western Australia (1).

“The aim of the project is to allow citrus growers to assess the performance and potential of new varieties in their own regions,” he said.

“This will allow future planting decisions to be based on local data and not on overseas information or results from an area that is climatically different to their growing region.”

He said it will probably be two to three years at the earliest before some growers feel there is enough preliminary, local information to trial larger plantings of the newer varieties.

This story appears Agriculture Today.