The Brazilian Association of Fruit Producers and Exporters (ABRAFRUTAS) announced that the country is officially introducing the first orange variety with resistance to yellowing.

The disease, also called citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC), has plagued Brazilian orchards since the 1980s. It can be spread by insect vectors or contaminated seedlings.

The new cultivar is naturally resistant to the bacterium causing yellowing. 

Named Navelina XR, the orange was presented on May 30 during the 48th Expocitros and 44th Citriculture Week, which runs until June 2, in Cordeirópolis, São Paulo.

The variety has typical Baianinha orange fruit characteristics: seedless, with early to mid-season maturation, and which are conserved in the plants after reaching commercial maturity, but with a certain degree of granulation. 

Average productivity is 33 pounds per plant at four years of age and 220 pounds for 10-year old plants.

According to ABRAFRTAS, its cultivation is indicated for the state of São Paulo, preferably in regions with milder temperatures.

The Navelina XR is being released with an early harvest sweet orange variety and a lime variety. The three new cultivars come from a  research partnership between Brazilian agricultural research corporation Embrapa, the Coopercitrus Credicitrus Foundation (FCC), and the Sylvio Moreira Citriculture Center (CCSM), which is linked to the Agronomic Institute (IAC).

“It is an excellent alternative for cultivation in the presence of this disease, as it does not require pruning or vector control, which should be maintained for other orange trees, such as pears. Furthermore, the Brazilian market has a shortage of early table orange varieties, particularly navel oranges, and with good quality fruit,” says Embrapa researcher Eduardo Stuchi.