Citrus parthenocarpy

For citrus, parthenocarpy is an important varietal trait that allows for the production of seedless fruits. Varieties with high parthenocarpic ability, such as certain types of navel oranges and Satsuma mandarins, consistently form fruits under isolation, whereas varieties with low capacity require mandatory pollination to prevent fruit drop.

Evaluation of the trait is carried out by observing fruit set in the absence of pollinators and analyzing seed productivity, where the level of parthenocarpy correlates with the absence of seeds or the presence of empty seed coats. In mixed plantings, it is necessary to consider the risk of cross-pollination, which can overcome the genetic predisposition to seedlessness and lead to the formation of seeds in parthenocarpic fruits.