Key Indian mandarin orange varieties include Nagpur, Coorg, Khasi, Mudkhed, Shringar, Butwal, Dancy, Kara (Abohar), SZ-IN-COM, Darjeeling, Sumithra, Seedless-182, and Kinnow.
Kinnow, a citrus fruit, grows in well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. It prefers soil ranging from sandy loam to clay loam but doesn't tolerate saline, alkaline, or saturated conditions.
Kinnow grows in temperatures between 13°C to 37°C with rainfall of 300-400mm. Sowing is optimal at 10-25°C while harvesting fares well between 20-32°C.
Land preparation for kinnow cultivation involves thorough ploughing, cross-ploughing, and levelling to ensure proper seedbed preparation.
For 1-3-year-old kinnow trees, apply cow dung@10-30 kg and Urea@240-720 gm per tree; for 4-7-year-old trees, use cow dung@40-80 kg, Urea@960-1680 gm, and SSP@1375-2400 gm per tree.
Frequent watering is vital for young plants; irrigate 3-4-year-old crops weekly and older trees every 2-3 weeks, avoiding floods to prevent disease. Opt for light, frequent irrigation before sprouting and after fruit set.
Harvest kinnow fruits when they reach proper size, shape, and attractive colour, with a TSS to Acid ratio of 12:1, typically between mid-January and mid-February. Avoid premature or delayed harvesting.