Presentation

1. CALAMANSI CULTIVATION

2. CALAMANSI PRODUCTION
• The calamansi tree (Citrofurtunella mitis) also known as in
the Philippines.
• This plant is a shrub or small tree with a long taproot, 2-7.5
m tall. Trees grown from seed start fruit production 5-6
years after planting, but this is shortened to 3 years or less
by planting asexually propagated seedlings.
• Flowering and fruiting is year round, with a peak harvest
season lasting for 3 months which falls during the months
of August to October in the Philippines.
• The lemonsito fruit is well known for its acid juice which is
used as a flavoring for dishes comprising seafood and meat.
Commercially, this sour-tasting juice is processed into
concentrate, drinks, and various products.

3. FRUITS
• Fruits are round, greenish-yellow with a diameter
of about 2-4.5 cm, and reaches full maturity in
about 5 months after flowering. Like other citrus
species such as pummelo and mandarin, the
calamondin fruit is rich in phosphorus, calcium,
iron and vitamin C.
• A 3-year old calamondin tree may yield 0.75 kg of
fruits. A 6-year old tree may bear up to 5000
fruits with an average yield of 10 kg; a 10-year
old, 50 kg.

5. SOIL AND CLIMATIC ADAPTATION
• Kalamansi is adapted to warm climates but it
can also grow in cool, frost-free areas. It can
grow in any soil type but prefers a well-
drained, sandy or clay loam soil rich in organic
matter, pH 5.5-7.0, in locations with annual
rainfall of 1500-2000 mm. It has moderate
tolerance to drought and shade but cannot
tolerate excessive moisture and strong winds.

6. PLANT PROPAGATION
• KALAMANSI can be propagated by seed or by
asexual method. Seedlings raised from seed
are true-to-type and spiny. Clonal seedlings
can also be propagated by stem cutting, air
layering or marcotting, budding and grafting.
For large scale production, shield and chip
budding, cleft or wedge grafting, and rooting
of stem cuttings under continuous mist or in
non-mist propagation chamber have been
practiced.

7. POT SELECTION AND PLANTING
• Seedlings should be planted at the onset of the
rainy season in places where there is a
pronounced dry and rainy season. But in places
where rainfall is evenly distributed throughout
the year, where there is irrigation, or in backyard
and pot gardening, planting can be done anytime.
• For field planting, the seedlings are carefully laid
on holes dug at least 40 cm wide and deep. The
removed topsoil is replaced, preferably mixed
with compost. Watering should be done daily.

8. cont’n….
• For pot planting, any container can be used depending
on preference based on such considerations as
durability, aesthetics, cost, and final size of the tree.
Pots with top diameter in excess of 8 inches (20.3 cm)
are generally recommended for shrubs. Potting can be
started with small pots and progressively changed to
bigger ones as the plant becomes bigger. The potting
medium should be fertile, rich in organic matter and
loose, which can be obtained by mixing topsoil, sand
and compost.
If grown as a houseplant, sufficient light should be
provided.

9. PLANTING DISTANCE
• The planting distance for growing calamondin
in the orchard under monoculture ranges
from 4-6 m in square, rectangular or triangular
system. This is equivalent to a calculated
population density of about 278-719 trees per
hectare, depending on plant-to-plant distance
and the planting system to be adopted. With 5
m x 5 m spacing in square system, the
population density per hectare will be 400.

10. cont’n….
• For potted plants, the pot-to-pot distance is
dictated only by the size of the plant canopy
which should not be allowed to overlap in
order to maximize light penetration.

11. FERTILIZATION
• Nitrogenous fertilizers like urea should be applied
at the rate of 50-100 g per tree starting 1 month
after planting and every other 6 months. This rate
is increased to 200-300 g per tree in the second
year. When the tree starts bearing fruits
commercially, 350-400 g of complete fertilizer is
applied, the rate increased correspondingly as
the tree becomes bigger.

12. cont’n…
• The fertilizers can be distributed into 6-8 holes
around the tree and timed with the onset and
end of the rainy season or just before the start
of flowering. The incorporation of organic
fertilizers in the fertilization plan will also
benefit the plant by providing micronutrients.

13. cont’n…
• With potted kalamansi, it is better to apply
slow-release fertilizers. Likewise, the use of 1-
2 percent solution of a mixture of nitrogen
and complete fertilizer may be an alternative,
to be applied regularly as a soil drench.

14. PRUNING
• Pruning should be employed to remove
excess, diseased and dead branches. To
maximize light penetration, 3-5 lateral
branches in spiral arrangement are allowed to
develop starting from about 1 ft (30 cm) from
the base of the trunk. Pruning may be done
also to limit expansion of the tree canopy.

15. cont’n…
• To enhance the increase in the size of the tree
that will be capable of producing more fruits,
fruit development in the early years may be
deferred. This involves flower and fruit
pruning or the deliberate removal of flowers
and fruitlets to allow the concentration of
food into the developing vegetative parts.

16. FLORAL INDUCTION
• Calamansi trees can be forced to flush and
flower by heavy watering. This can be done 1-
2 months prior to the normal flowering time.
However, plant response is usually more
elicited when the trees have been stressed by
dry months prior to floral induction.

17. cont’n…
• Plant physiologist Nasir Malik of Kika de la
Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research
Center, Weslaco, Texas, has also developed a
temperature-controlled growth chamber
which was effective in inducing grapefruit
trees to produce new flushes. Trees that were
placed in the growth chambers for 10 weeks
flowered almost immediately when
transferred to the greenhouse

18. PESTS AND DISEASES CONTROL
• Numerous insect pests attack the calamondin
tree. These include the citrus bark borers,
aphids, and scales. Red mites which are
arachnids may also become serious pests. In
orchards, regular monitoring for pest
incidence and spraying of insectides or
miticides should be a part of the management
program, especially during flushing period.

19. cont’n…
• A serious disease is leaf mottling which is
internationally known as citrus greening,
transmitted by the Asian citrus
psyllid (Diaphorina citri). The psyllids live and
reproduce on new shoots and need to be
eradicated in order to prevent citrus greening.
Likewise, quarantine measures should be effected
to prevent the introduction of diseased or psyllid-
infested citrus plants, as well as the popular
ornamental plant orange jessamine or kamuning
(Murraya paniculata), being a favored host of the
psyllid.

20. cont’n…
• Other common diseases are gummosis, citrus
canker and citrus scab. Gummosis is caused
byPhytophthora fungi and usually occurs where
there is mechanical damage to the stem or where
there is either lack or excess fertilizer. The disease
is characterized by a dark sticky exudate or gum
which oozes out of the infected part of the
branch or trunk. Prompt spraying or painting of
fungicide solution should be done directly to the
diseased area.

21. HARVESTING
• Mature fruits are harvested either by hand or
by clipping with a pair of scissors. To prolong
shelf life, a portion of the pedicel is left
attached to the fruit and injury to the skin
should be avoided. Storage at 8-10 C with
relative humidity of 90% will further extend
the freshness of the fruits up to 3 weeks.