Building a model for breeding, new planting and intensive cultivation of Nam Dong oranges

Abstract

Nam Dong oranges once held substantial economic significance; however, due to the use of substandard varieties which are often from unregulated sources or self-grafted stock and inadequate intensive cultivation techniques, orchards declined in productivity and quality. Consequently, cultivation areas were abandoned or destroyed, leading to the contraction of Nam Dong orange acreage. To restore the orchards, it is essential to employ standardized, disease-free propagation and proper cultivation methods. After five years of implementation, the project successfully selected and conserved 15 original orange trees in the field, maintained 10 S0 and 30 S1 trees in greenhouse conditions, propagated 8,355 disease-free seedlings, established 2 hectares of new orchards (1000 trees), and applied intensive farming methods to 1 hectare of existing orchards. The yields increased by 15-20% compared to conventional cultivation, while economic efficiency improved by 70-75 million VND per hectare.