Hybrid parentageCitrus maxima x Citrus paradisi
CultivarOroblanco
OriginUniversity of California Riverside

An oroblanco, oro blanco (white gold), pomelit (Israel) or sweetie[1] (Citrus maxima Merr. × C. Paradisi Macf.) is a sweet seedless citrus hybrid fruit similar to grapefruit. It is often referred to as oroblanco grapefruit.

Development

Oroblanco was developed as a cross between a diploid acidless pomelo and a seedy white tetraploid grapefruit, resulting in a triploid seedless fruit that is less acidic and less bitter than the grapefruit.[2]

The oroblanco was patented by the University of California in 1981 after its development by Robert Soost and James W. Cameron[3][4][5][6][7] at that university's citrus experiment station in Riverside, California.[8] The nine-year project began in 1958 and led to a series of test plantings before a successful variation was refined.[2]

Description

Juvenile tree of "Oroblanco" in Missouri Botanical Gardens.
Sweetie

Oroblancos are either round- or oval-shaped with a thicker rind than grapefruit. When eaten, an oroblanco lacks bitterness associated with grapefruits and is rather sweet, even when the outer peel is still green, but the white membranes separating the fleshy segments are bitter and usually discarded.[9]

Oroblancos are available from September through December. They may be peeled and eaten like an orange — by separating into segments — and are often eaten at breakfast.[10]

A similar fruit has been commonly cultivated in Israel since 1984, from where the name "Sweetie" originated.[11][12] It is also referred to as a "pomelit."

References

  1. ↑ "Sweetie | Good Fruit Guide".
  2. 1 2 Citrus Experiment Station, Riverside 1907-1982. University of California, Riverside. 1982. p. 15. OCLC 39677416.
  3. ↑ Soost R K, Cameron J W. “Oroblanco'. a triploid pummelo-grapefruit hybrid. Hort Sci. 1980.
  4. ↑ Soost, Robert K.; Cameron, James W. (1980). "Oroblanco: A new grapefruit hybrid". California Agriculture. 34 (11): 16–17.
  5. ↑ Soost R K, Cameron J W. “Melogold'. a triploid pummelo-grapefruit hybrid. Hort Sci. 1985.
  6. ↑ "UCR Newsroom". ucr.edu.
  7. ↑ "melogold". ucr.edu.
  8. ↑ "United States Patent: PP04645". United States Patent and Trademark Office. 1981-02-10. Retrieved 2014-07-30.
  9. ↑ "Oro Blanco Grapefruit". specialtyproduce.com.
  10. ↑ "oroblanco fruit, internal & external quality, oroblanco salad recipe, juice, origin". fruitsinfo.com.
  11. ↑ "ג'אפה המותג הישראלי". Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  12. ↑ "Jaffa citrus fruit". Citrus Pages. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 13 November 2010.

Growing tips

Recipes

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