Meyer Lemon changed fruit

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by VegasPlantGuy, Jan 8, 2006.

  1. VegasPlantGuy

    VegasPlantGuy Active Member

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    Location:
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    I have a client with an otherwise healthy Meyer Lemon. Recently he pruned the dwarf tree, and every branch he had pruned, which also fruited, had a new type of fruit. The skin became very mottled. The fruit picked up a slightly different taste.
    The client is asking "what happened". My hunch is a possible virus.
    Any other probabilities here ?

    Your input is appreciated.


    Frank
     
  2. Laaz

    Laaz Active Member 10 Years

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    Charleston z9a SC
    More than likely the tree was pruned past the graft & now he has the rootstock growing & producing...
     
  3. VegasPlantGuy

    VegasPlantGuy Active Member

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    The tree was not pruned past the graft. Only the top was pruned. The bottom of the tree is still producing good quality Meyer Lemons.
     
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Maybe the plant is a chimaera, the pruning resulting in previously disguised tissue from inside the stems coming into view. Or it happened to sport variant growth, that was going to appear on the outside anyway right at the same time it was pruned.
     
  5. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    A little curiosity in me wonders what were the
    pruning shears used on before the Lemon was
    pruned? I know this may seem like a ridiculous
    question to ask, in a way, considering where you
    are located but was this Lemon exposed to any
    unseasonal cold right after it was pruned and
    after the fruit had set?

    Another thing just came to mind, were there
    any horticultural oil applications in the forms
    of an insect or disease prevention standalone
    spray or as a mixer used on this tree after the
    fruit had set and were these oil sprays applied
    in your typical, warm to hot, weather? Could
    the tree have been exposed to drift from a
    herbicide application?

    A photo of the tree may help but I also think
    the age of this tree and whether it is a container
    plant or is grown in the ground may also be
    needed for us to better assess what is going on
    with this tree. Yes, a virus emanating from the
    rootstock can indeed cause the skin of the fruit
    to become mottled but we should also see other
    health factors to the tree that let us know there
    is a virus at work before the fruit becomes ripe.
    If the fruit ever gets that far as much of the time
    the fruit starts to breakdown right on the tree
    before they ever can ripen.

    It could very well be that a series of chimeras
    came about but what I'd like to know is what
    may have caused them. The mottled fruit can
    also be due to a serious red, yellow or black
    scale or Citrus red mite infestation which can
    promote changes in the quality and appearance
    of the fruit on the uppermost portions of the
    tree and the shaded interior areas where the
    fruit is more likely to show the ill effects of
    the insect damage.

    Jim
     
  6. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    I find it surprising that the tree bloomed and fruited on branches that were "RECENTLY" pruned. Had these pruning shears just finished pruning another citrus tree and were not sterilized before pruning the Meyer? - Millet
     

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