Long-term productivity of three rambutan cultivars grown in an ultisol soil in Puerto Rico

Abstract

The globalization of the economy, increased ethnic diversity, and a greater demand for healthy and more diverse food production has increased the demand for tropical fruit, including rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum). Replicated field trials to evaluate performance of rambutan cultivars have been very limited and as with many other tropical fruit crops, there is a scarcity of information on best management practices and optimal growing conditions for rambutan. The objective of this study was to determine the yield potential of three rambutan cultivars (Jitlee, R-134, R-162) when the age of grafted trees was 20 years. The data were compared with that obtained from an early production period when the age of the trees was 10 years. This information may help rambutan growers make expansion and/or investment plans. Number of fruit and yield in 2017 were significantly higher in 2017 than in 2016. In 2017, average fruit number and yield of cultivars were 582,774 fruit/ha and 19,528 kgha-1, respectively, whereas in 2016 were 394,269 fruit/ha and 13,164 kgha-1, respectively. There were no significant differences among cultivars for number of fruit produced, averaging 488,521 fruit/ha. This production is higher than the 5-year average obtained from the 2005–09 harvest period when grafted trees were about 9 years old. The results of this study demonstrate that grafted rambutan trees can remain prolific in mature orchards.