• The ancestor of grapefruit is the shaddock or pummelo ( C. grandis).
• It was separated from Pummelo in 1830 by James Macfadyen.
• This variety is named Grapefruit because its fruits grow in bunches like grapes.
• The slight bitterness in the juice is due to ‘Naringin’, which is said to have medicinal value. (in the prevention of malaria)

Varieties

• Duncan

  

• Marsh seedless
• Foster
• Red Blush
• Triumph
• Sharanpur special
• Thompson
• Star Rubi – from Hudson grape fruit through mutation breeding.

Climate

• Dry and arid climate or subtropical where distinct summer and winter.
• Annual rainfall – 15 to 150 cm.
• Grown at an altitude of 500 to 1000 meters or above.

Soil

• Well-draining, deep, and free-acting alluvial soils.
• Calcareous soils containing large amounts of lime remain unsuitable.

Propagation

• Commercially propagated by budding.

Rootstock

• Jatti khatti (C. jambhiri) – South India
• Karna khatta (C. karna) – North India, UP & Assam.
• Carrizo and Troyer – In Punjab

Planting

• Pits of size 60-75 cm³ are dug at a distance of 6×6 to 8×8 m.
• Planting is done at the beginning of the monsoon.

Irrigation

• First irrigation is done just after planting.
• It should be done at an interval of 10 days in summer and at an interval of 10-15 days in winter.
• Adequate soil moisture should be maintained during flowering and fruiting stages.

Manure and Fertilizers

• Generally, fertilizers are given thrice in a year i.e. December-January, June-July, and September-October
• FYM is given in June-July or September-October.
• N:P:K – 600: 400 : 600 g/tree

Training and Pruning

• Young plants are supported so that they can develop fully.
• Water sprouts, and weak, crisscrossing branches are cut from time to time.

Harvesting

• Grapefruit flowers and fruits once a year at the beginning of spring (March) under the North Indian climate and fruits mature after about eight to nine months in the following November-December.
• Fruits are harvested when their colour turns from green to yellow.
• Fully ripe large-sized fruits are picked from time to time.

Yield

• 7 to 10 years 200-300 fruits/tree
• 20 years – 500-1000 fruits/tree

Difference Between Grapefruit and Pummelo