Effect of Climatic District and of Location in Tree on Tenderness and Other Physical Characteristics of Citrus Fruit

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Abstract
The evaporating power of the air and air temperature increased progressively from coastal, intermediate, and interior to desert citrus-growing districts. Moisture contents of peel, pulp, and whole fruit of Washington Navel and Valencia oranges, grapefruit, and lemons decreased progressively for the several districts from the cool moist coastal district to the hot dry desert district, whereas the peel puncture pressures increased. Fruit picked from the tops of trees had lower moisture contents and higher peel puncture pressures than fruit picked from the bottoms of the trees. The generally observed tenderness of citrus fruit growing in the coastal district to rind-breakdown, water rot, oil spot, sunburn, fumigation, oil sprays, and storage was correlated with low peel and pulp dry-matter contents and low peel puncture pressures; these relationships are best expressed by the multiple correlation coefficient (r = +0.9898) between peel puncture pressure, evaporation, and the reciprocal of peel moisture as per cent of dry peel.

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