GROWTH, PHENOLOGICAL, YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS EVALUATION OF SWEET ORANGE (Citrus sinensis L.) CULTIVARS IN RAYA AZEBO WOREDA OF SOUTHERN TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is an important fruit produced and consumed worldwide it’s excellent source of vitamin C. However, citrus industry in Ethiopia at infant stage; which particularly due to shortage improved adapted cultivars their distribution. Considering these, six sweet were evaluated select adapted, high yielding quality cultivar/s. Different growth, phenological, yield component data collected analyzed using SAS. Days maturity was also highly significantly (p<0.01)) affected by 2017 cropping year. Fruit weight without rind (flesh weight) juice (p<0.05) 2018 harvesting Marketable yield, unmarketable total tree-1 both O. Valencia late matured took 1622 days from planting first harvest. While, P.W.N. early with average number 1104 In 2017, Hamlin, gave the highest marketable (68.61 kg) (68.94kg). Jaffa maximum (197.24 (198.81 2019 year, Hamlin (63.3 (64.02 tree-1. three consecutive years mean value 95.38 kg 72.24 respectively. So, Raya Azebo, other areas having similar agro-ecologies are recommended. Further, studying nutritional content water requirements these suggested.