BRS IAC EECB Alvorada is a sweet orange cultivar that has been developed as an early-maturing variety with high-quality, seedless fruits. It is suitable for both processing and fresh market consumption. The cultivar offers several advantages, including a high production capacity, early harvest time, and favorable characteristics for evaluating juice color and flavor.

Compared to early reference varieties such as Hamlin and Westin, BRS IAC EECB Alvorada demonstrates superior fruit quality for the production of frozen concentrated juice as well as pasteurized juice (NFC). It also exhibits earlier fruit production than Hamlin. These qualities make it a desirable choice for orange juice production.

BRS IAC EECB Alvorada is well-adapted to the conditions of the state of São Paulo, particularly in irrigated areas or regions with milder temperatures in the southwest and extreme south of the state. It is recommended to use vigorous rootstocks such as Swingle citrumelo, Flying Dragon trifoliate, Sunki mandarin trees, BRS Tropical and Cleopatra, Rangpur, and Volkamerian lemon trees. The use of more vigorous rootstocks is preferable.

The development of this technology took place under the UMIPTT Citrus Belt at the Bebedouro Agribusiness Experimental Station (EEAB), formerly known as Bebedouro Citriculture Experimental Station (EECB). The IAC introduced the access that served as the basis for the development of BRS IAC EECB Alvorada.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

- Early production;

- High-quality fruits with large size and 0 to 3 seeds, earlier maturation than Hamlin, superior scores in the pasteurized juice tasting test, and excellent color and flavor of the juice;

- It also demonstrates good productivity, exceeding 30 tons per hectare;

- Limitations, such as potential crop alternation, sensitivity to drought and high temperatures, and the risk of physiological drying of branches. To mitigate these issues, balanced fertilization with nitrogen and copper is recommended.

This technological solution was developed by Embrapa in partnership with other institution(s).