First Canadian Golden

Lemon Lime Hybrid

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'First Canadian'

Summary: The spines of 'First Canadian Golden' are sparse and very short whereas those of 'First Canadian' are medium in density and length. The leaves of 'First Canadian Golden' are orbicular in shape whereas those of 'First Canadian' are elliptic. The fruit surface of 'First Canadian Golden' is mainly light yellow, glossy and smooth whereas that of 'First Canadian' is medium yellow, with weak glossiness and rough. The main colour of the fruit flesh of 'First Canadian Golden' is light green whereas that of 'First Canadian' is light yellow. The fruit of 'First Canadian Golden' have few seeds whereas those of 'First Canadian' have absent or very few seeds.

Description:

PLOIDY: diploid
PLANT: spreading growth habit, flowers 2 to 3 times per year, fruit matures mid-season for consumption, parthenocarpy present
SPINES: absent or sparse, very short

YOUNG LEAF: weak anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: orbicular shape, straight or weakly concave shape in cross-section, twisting absent or weak, medium green, rounded apex, emargination absent at the tip, petiole wings inconsistent and extremely small
LEAF MARGIN: absent or weak undulation, dentate incisions

FLOWER: no anthocyanin colouration of bud, corolla reflexing absent, basal union of stamens present, stamens dry and sometimes persist during fruit growth, medium length style

FRUIT: clustering of fruits present, small length/diameter ratio, broadest part positioned at middle, strongly rounded shape of proximal part, neck absent, shallow depression at stalk end, partial persistance of style, persistent attachment of fully ripened fruit to stalk, low juiciness, few seeds resulting from open pollination
DISTAL END: strongly rounded shape, strong prominance of nipple when present, weak radial grooves
FRUIT SURFACE: variegation absent, predominantly light yellow, medium glossiness, smooth
OIL GLANDS OF FRUIT SURFACE: all more or less the same size, strong conspicuousness of larger oil glands, pitting absent and pebbling present
RIND: thin, strong oiliness
FRUIT FLESH: light green
CORE: dense filling, large diameter, absent or weak presence of rudimentary segments, medium strength of segment walls
JUICE VESCICLES: short, medium thickness, medium conspicuousness of walls, medium coherence
FRUIT JUICE: medium level of total soluble solids and acidity
SEED: polyembryony absent

Origin & Breeding History: 'First Canadian Golden' (experimental designation KLX-1) originated from the cross of the lemon hybrid, 'CLX-1', (female parent) with Citrus aurantifolia variety 'Key Lime' (male parent) which was carried out in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1991. 'CLX-1' was derived from the cross of Citrus medica variety 'Odichu Kuthi Naranga' (female parent) with the Citrus limon variety 'Ponderosa' (male parent) also carried out in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan during the winter of 1980-1981. Within one year of the first generation cross, the plants developed fruit from which 18 seedlings were planted. Four plants survived which later bloomed after 7 years of culture on the windowsill. In 1991, one plant (CLX-1) from the original first four seedlings was selected and used as the mother plant for subsequent crosses including the cross from which 'First Canadian Golden' was made. In 2010, one of four seedlings that resulted from this cross, 'First Canadian Golden' (under the experimental code KLX-1), was selected for its ability to grow on the windowsill under low light conditions producing multiple cycles of blooming, its compact plant growth habit, fruit size, skin thickness and good quality fruit characteristics.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials were conducted in the agriculture greenhouses of the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The plants arose from cuttings taken in 2010 from the mother plants which were growing in 10 gallon containers. A minimum of 5 self-rooted cuttings grown in 15 centimetre pots were established under low light conditions. Once established, a minimum of 5 plants of each variety were transferred to the greenhouse to grow under higher light conditions to ensure both the candidate and reference varieties would grow enough to initiate floral buds, but not too high so to kill the plants. The observations for the trial were finalized in the spring of 2016.

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Lemon Lime Hybrid: 'First Canadian Golden' (left) with reference variety 'First Canadian' (experimental designation 'MLX-6') (right)

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Lemon Lime Hybrid: 'First Canadian Golden' (left) with reference variety 'First Canadian' (experimental designation 'MLX-6') (right)