Shasta Gold Mandarin Budwood

Citrus reticulata.

Shasta Gold TM (TDE2) is a recently-released (2002) mandarin variety developed within the University of California Riverside citrus breeding program. The tree grows vigorously and is somewhat spreading in form, with a tendency to alternate bearing. It can achieve a moderately-large size at maturity. Shasta Gold TM (TDE2) is a hybrid with Temple tangor, and Dancy and Encore mandarins in its parentage. The large oblate fruits have an attractive dark orange rind that is relatively thin. The flesh is seedless, bright orange, and juicy. The flavor is rich and sweet when mature. The season for Shasta Gold TM (TDE2) is mid-February to mid-March at Riverside and the fruits hold well on the tree into April or May.

Late-maturing (mid-late February) triploid mandarin hybrid that combines large fruit size, attractive deep-orange rind colour, rich fruit flavour and the virtual absence of seeds even in mixed plantings. Shasta Gold mandarin fruit are moderately flat in shape, with little or no neck. The average fruit size is large for a mandarin (size 15 by industry packing standards) with a mean width of 75 mm (2.95 in.) and a height of 59 mm (2.32 in.), giving a height to width ratio of 0.78, and a mean weight per fruit of 185 grams (6.5 oz), heavy for the fruit size. Rind color is deep orange with rind texture generally smooth on fruit from trees with moderate to heavy crops. the rind of fruit from trees with very light crops can be excessively rough. The rind is fairly easy to peel when fruit are mature. Flesh is deep orange in color with a moderately fine texture. The fruit is juicy averaging 49% juice content and are very sweet when mature (13% brix in February, 16% in April) with a very rich, distinctive flavor. Production is very high averaging 800-900 cartons/acre.

Rootstocks of accession:  Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange.

Season of ripeness at Riverside, California:  February to April.

Prepared by the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection at The University of California Riverside.