• India rank 5th among major lime and lemon producing country in the world.
• In 2018-19 area of lime and lemon in India is 296 thousand ha. and Production 3397 thousand MT.
• In 2018 Maximum area and production of lime and lemon in Gujarat (605.62 thousand MT from 46.28 thousand ha) followed by Andhra Pradesh (562.01 thousand MT from 34.88 thousand ha).
• Kagzi lime is the indicator plant of Tristeza and it is highly susceptible to this disease.
• Citrus canker is the most serious disease of acid lime.
• Acid lime is a tropical plant.
• Gajanimma (Citrus pennivesiculata) and Rough lemon are the most promising rootstock of acid lime.
• Classification of citrus was given by Tanka and Swingle (1945)
• Spain is the largest exporter of citrus.
• The ultra-dwarf rootstock of citrus – Flying dragon.

Varieties

• Pramalini – Canker tolerant
• Vikram
• Chakradhar – Seedless variety of acid lime
• P K M – 1
• Sai Sarbati – Tolerant to Tristeza and Canker

  

• Jai Devi – Pleasant Aroma

Climate

• Tropical climate,
• Strong wind and frost are harmful,
• Grown from sea level to 1000m or so elevation.
• Annual rainfall does not exceed an average of 75cm.

Soil

Well-drained, deep (1.5m.), medium to light soil.

Propagation

Mainly by seed.

Planting

• Pits are dug during summer with a dimension of 60-75 cm³.
• Acid lime planted at a distance of 5×5 or 6×6 m.
• The best time of planting is the onset of the monsoon.

Manure and Fertilizers

• F Y M – 50 kg, N : P : K – 500g : 400g : 900gm/ tree
• From fifth years and onwards.
• Every year it is applied first in December – January before spring flowering and the second application is done in June – July.

Irrigation

• Winter 15-20 days interval and in summer 8-10 days interval.
• Sufficient soil moisture is maintained during fruit setting and fruit development.

Interculture and intercropping

• Hoeing once and twice a year (during the post-monsoon season)
• Early-stage of growth legumes and some vegetables are taken.

Training and pruning

• Training is done in the early stage giving support with bamboo split sticks if needed.
• Later age (Bearing trees) may be pruned unwanted branches.

Flowering and Fruiting

• Tree start Flowering fourth year onward after planting.
• The fruit mature six months after flowering.
• Higher fruit setting minimum fruit drop and higher fruit yield is obtained with the spraying of Zn So4 at 0.6 % + 2, 4-D at 20ppm in early January.

Harvesting

• In Gujarat, 60% of the total crop is harvested from July to September, 30% from October – January, and 10% from February to May.
• In North India Harvesting is done from August – September.
• Fruits are harvest when the rind colour changes from green to yellow.

Yield

80-150 quintals / ha.

Difference between lime and lemon