Evaluation of the best rootstock and scion combination of lime (Citrus aurantifolia) for Minab region conditions

This study was conducted to determine a suitable combination of rootstock and scion in limes for quantitative and qualitative traits. For this purpose, 4 rootstocks of Rough Lemon, Volkameriana, Mexican Lime and Rangpur Lime were used in four replications in a randomized complete block design during three years in Minab research station. Vegetative traits of the seedlings such as graft compatibility, scion growth in the nursery, trunk diameter, canopy size and seedling height were examined. In this study, Mexican Lime and Rangpur lime rootstocks were 87.5% and 81% better than the other rootstocks, respectively. The highest growth of lime scion was observed in the Mexican Lime rootstock with 51.25 cm and the lowest growth was observed in Volkameriana rootstock with 35 cm growth. Trunk diameter with 23 mm, tree height with 54.25 cm, annual growth and canopy circumference with 163.30 cm were significantly different in Mexican Lime rootstock compared to other rootstocks. The results of this study showed that different environmental conditions cause different vegetative growth among the rootstocks and Mexican Lime rootstock showed a significant advantage over other rootstocks in terms of studied vegetative traits.