addicting .... we want one of our own ...
California Tango
NVDMC holds the exclusive commercial license for the Tango in Florida. The Tango was developed at the University of California Riverside and has been planted extensively in California over the past several years. The Tango is a seedless mandarin that has excellent internal and external color. Flavor is very nice. The seedy predecessor to the Tango has been grown for approx 8 years in Florida – and these mature in early December. It is expected that the Tango will also mature in early December and will hold on the tree for several months. What makes the Tango unique is that it produces a crop very early, and young trees bear high quality marketable fruit – as opposed to the lower quality fruit that is typically associated with young trees. It is expected that the Tango will have a wide production range. Indications are that it will perform well in the Ridge and Flatwoods areas. Trials are underway in the Indian River district, but to date are not conclusive. Fruit set in solid blocks is not yet known.
More information is available about the Tango (including pictures) at the University of California Riverside’s site: http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/documents/TangoInformationSheet-Version2.pdf. Interested growers should contact NVDMC. Budwood is presently being increased. Nurseries will begin taking orders Fall 2011.
Tango's were developed by Univ of Cal Riverside. The process was quite interesting.
Fourwinds carries and ships, but not to Florida. Need to find a Florida nursery who is growing it out. Suppose to be 6 of them this year.
More interesting stuff; Tango is actually a Tangor, a cross between an orange and tangerine. From the patent application:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] `Tango` is a mandarin selection developed at the University of California Riverside from an irradiated bud of the diploid mandarin cultivar `W. Murcott`, a mid-late season maturing variety. The pedigree of `W. Murcott` mandarin is unknown but is believed to be a seedling selection from a `Murcott` Tangor tree produced in an open-pollinated field. The cultivar `W. Murcott` from which `Tango` was derived may be identical to a mandarin cultivar known as `Afourer` and also as `Nadorcott`. The name `W. Murcott` was assigned to a mandarin cultivar which was imported into the United States as buds in 1985 from Morocco. `Afourer` and `Nadorcott` are known to have originated in Morocco. `Nadorcott` was patented in the United States in 1997 under U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,480 (filed in January 1997). `W. Murcott` was first commercially available in California in 1992-1993.
[0004] `Tango` originated as a single plant and was asexually reproduced by grafting of budwood onto rootstocks. `Tango` was selected and propagated as follows. Irradiation of `W. Murcott` budwood taken from registered trees in the Foundation Block at the University of California Lindcove Research and Extension Center (LREC), Lindcove, Calif. was accomplished in June, 1995 at Riverside using 50 Gray units of gamma irradiation from a Cobalt-60 irradiation source. Buds from this irradiation were propagated onto various rootstocks in the greenhouse at Riverside where they were grown to field-plantable-sized trees. These trees were planted in June 1996 at Riverside. Fruit production and evaluation began in 1998. One tree from this irradiated population (propagated on `C32` citrange rootstock) distinguished itself from the others in having fruit that had very low seed counts with excellent fruit quality and normal fruit production characteristics in comparison to the original `W. Murcott` cultivar. After two seasons of fruiting, this tree (now named `Tango`), was selected for further trials in 1999 and in January 2000 buds were taken and propagated onto `Carrizo` and C35 citrange rootstock. Budwood was also sent to the University of California Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP) in April 2000 for evaluation of disease status and elimination of viruses and other pathogens as needed.
[0005] Twenty trees were planted at Riverside in June 2001. Fruit production on these 20 trees commenced in 2003. In October 2001 the Citrus Clonal Protection Program sent two trees of `Tango`, which had been produced from budwood which CCPP had tested and certified as tristeza-free, to the University of California Lindcove Research and Extension Center where they were planted in the citrus breeding block. Further propagations from the original selection tree in 2001 were made at Riverside and in June 2002 twenty trees were planted at the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center (SCREC) in Irvine, Calif., and 15 trees were planted at Santa Paula, Calif.
[0006] Fruit production of these propagated trees (at LREC, SCREC and Santa Paula) commenced in 2003 (a few trees at each site) and 2004 (all trees at all sites). In July 2002 budwood was taken from the LREC trees and topworked onto a navel orange/`Carrizo` citrange tree at LREC. In September 2002 eighteen trees, produced from CCPP budwood were planted at Arvin Calif. In August 2003 thirty-six additional trees were propagated at LREC from budwood taken from the LREC trees and in April 2004, twelve were planted at the University of California Coachella Valley Agricultural Research Station in Thermal, Calif., and in June 2004, twenty-four trees (twelve at each site) were planted at two sites, LREC and Woodlake, Calif. All trials were propagated on `Carrizo` and `C35` citrange rootstocks.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention provides a novel mandarin variety having the characteristics described and illustrated herein. The variety, `Tango`, is a mandarin selection developed at the University of California Riverside from an irradiated bud of the diploid mandarin cultivar `W. Murcott`, a mid-late season maturing variety. `Tango` combines mid to late season maturity, moderately large fruit size, very smooth rind texture with a deep orange color, and a rich, sweet flavor. It further distinguishes itself by being very low seeded (<1 seed/fruit) and very easy to peel.
[0008] Mid to late season maturing mandarin cultivars in production include `W. Murcott` mandarin (the original cultivar from which `Tango` was derived), `Murcott` Tangor, `Fortune` mandarin, `Ortanique` mandarin, `Temple` Tangor, late-maturing Clementina selections including `Hernandina` and `Nour`, `Dancy` mandarin and `Minneola` tangelo. All of these cultivars will be seedy if grown in the presence of a pollenizer. Some, including the Clementina selections, `Fortune`, `Ortanique`, and `Page` mandarins will have few seeds if no pollenizer is present. Recently released mid to late season cultivars that are very low-seeded include `Gold Nugget` (unpatented), `TDE2` mandarin hybrid (Shasta Gold.RTM.) having U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,461, `TDE3` mandarin hybrid (Tahoe Gold.RTM.) having U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,703, and `TDE4` mandarin hybrid (Yosemite Gold.RTM.), having U.S. Publication No. 2003/0237120. `Tango` differs from these cultivars in having fruit with a smoother rind texture that are easier to peel. Trees of `Tango` show less alternate bearing than these cultivars. Additional differences (summarized in Table 6) distinguish it from each of these cultivars.
Now to find an Florida Nursery .... maybe Briteleaf? Bah, I'll just go ask the Gardenwebbers - they be smart folks.
More interesting stuff; Tango is actually a Tangor, a cross between an orange and tangerine. From the patent application:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] `Tango` is a mandarin selection developed at the University of California Riverside from an irradiated bud of the diploid mandarin cultivar `W. Murcott`, a mid-late season maturing variety. The pedigree of `W. Murcott` mandarin is unknown but is believed to be a seedling selection from a `Murcott` Tangor tree produced in an open-pollinated field. The cultivar `W. Murcott` from which `Tango` was derived may be identical to a mandarin cultivar known as `Afourer` and also as `Nadorcott`. The name `W. Murcott` was assigned to a mandarin cultivar which was imported into the United States as buds in 1985 from Morocco. `Afourer` and `Nadorcott` are known to have originated in Morocco. `Nadorcott` was patented in the United States in 1997 under U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,480 (filed in January 1997). `W. Murcott` was first commercially available in California in 1992-1993.
[0004] `Tango` originated as a single plant and was asexually reproduced by grafting of budwood onto rootstocks. `Tango` was selected and propagated as follows. Irradiation of `W. Murcott` budwood taken from registered trees in the Foundation Block at the University of California Lindcove Research and Extension Center (LREC), Lindcove, Calif. was accomplished in June, 1995 at Riverside using 50 Gray units of gamma irradiation from a Cobalt-60 irradiation source. Buds from this irradiation were propagated onto various rootstocks in the greenhouse at Riverside where they were grown to field-plantable-sized trees. These trees were planted in June 1996 at Riverside. Fruit production and evaluation began in 1998. One tree from this irradiated population (propagated on `C32` citrange rootstock) distinguished itself from the others in having fruit that had very low seed counts with excellent fruit quality and normal fruit production characteristics in comparison to the original `W. Murcott` cultivar. After two seasons of fruiting, this tree (now named `Tango`), was selected for further trials in 1999 and in January 2000 buds were taken and propagated onto `Carrizo` and C35 citrange rootstock. Budwood was also sent to the University of California Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP) in April 2000 for evaluation of disease status and elimination of viruses and other pathogens as needed.
[0005] Twenty trees were planted at Riverside in June 2001. Fruit production on these 20 trees commenced in 2003. In October 2001 the Citrus Clonal Protection Program sent two trees of `Tango`, which had been produced from budwood which CCPP had tested and certified as tristeza-free, to the University of California Lindcove Research and Extension Center where they were planted in the citrus breeding block. Further propagations from the original selection tree in 2001 were made at Riverside and in June 2002 twenty trees were planted at the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center (SCREC) in Irvine, Calif., and 15 trees were planted at Santa Paula, Calif.
[0006] Fruit production of these propagated trees (at LREC, SCREC and Santa Paula) commenced in 2003 (a few trees at each site) and 2004 (all trees at all sites). In July 2002 budwood was taken from the LREC trees and topworked onto a navel orange/`Carrizo` citrange tree at LREC. In September 2002 eighteen trees, produced from CCPP budwood were planted at Arvin Calif. In August 2003 thirty-six additional trees were propagated at LREC from budwood taken from the LREC trees and in April 2004, twelve were planted at the University of California Coachella Valley Agricultural Research Station in Thermal, Calif., and in June 2004, twenty-four trees (twelve at each site) were planted at two sites, LREC and Woodlake, Calif. All trials were propagated on `Carrizo` and `C35` citrange rootstocks.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention provides a novel mandarin variety having the characteristics described and illustrated herein. The variety, `Tango`, is a mandarin selection developed at the University of California Riverside from an irradiated bud of the diploid mandarin cultivar `W. Murcott`, a mid-late season maturing variety. `Tango` combines mid to late season maturity, moderately large fruit size, very smooth rind texture with a deep orange color, and a rich, sweet flavor. It further distinguishes itself by being very low seeded (<1 seed/fruit) and very easy to peel.
[0008] Mid to late season maturing mandarin cultivars in production include `W. Murcott` mandarin (the original cultivar from which `Tango` was derived), `Murcott` Tangor, `Fortune` mandarin, `Ortanique` mandarin, `Temple` Tangor, late-maturing Clementina selections including `Hernandina` and `Nour`, `Dancy` mandarin and `Minneola` tangelo. All of these cultivars will be seedy if grown in the presence of a pollenizer. Some, including the Clementina selections, `Fortune`, `Ortanique`, and `Page` mandarins will have few seeds if no pollenizer is present. Recently released mid to late season cultivars that are very low-seeded include `Gold Nugget` (unpatented), `TDE2` mandarin hybrid (Shasta Gold.RTM.) having U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,461, `TDE3` mandarin hybrid (Tahoe Gold.RTM.) having U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,703, and `TDE4` mandarin hybrid (Yosemite Gold.RTM.), having U.S. Publication No. 2003/0237120. `Tango` differs from these cultivars in having fruit with a smoother rind texture that are easier to peel. Trees of `Tango` show less alternate bearing than these cultivars. Additional differences (summarized in Table 6) distinguish it from each of these cultivars.
Now to find an Florida Nursery .... maybe Briteleaf? Bah, I'll just go ask the Gardenwebbers - they be smart folks.
3 comments:
The one you've got pictured isn't a 'Californian' Tango!
I'll follow your post on GW. If you find a tree I'll meet you at the nursery and pick one up myself. :-D
Arrggh, you are going to make me take my own picture before I eat one :-) I borrowed the picture from somewhere, I think they are comparing something on the left to the Tango on the right?
What a beautiful mandarin!
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