The Valencian Growers' Association (AVA-ASAJA) considers it essential for the legal, administrative and marketing situation of certain protected citrus varieties to be clarified to dispel doubts about their management rights. Last week, the Club of Protected Plant Varieties (CVVP) released a report by the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP) and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) which states, for the first time, in quantitative and scientific terms that the late mandarin variety called Tango (also known as Tang Gold) is essentially derived from the Nadorcott.
To be precise, the report points out that the Tango and Nadorcott are 99.9999997% identical; that there are no significant differences between the Tango and Nadorcott genomes and that they consequently "share the same genotype and show a genetic conformity that reveals an essential derivation." This circumstance adds more uncertainty and concerns to the issue, since the management rights for the Tango are currently the subject of a court dispute with yet no definitive ruling.
AVA-ASAJA understands that, in view of this situation, it is urgent and essential for the authorities with jurisdiction in the matter, both legislative and judicial, to issue a firm and clear ruling in order to clear all doubts and pave the way for growers interested in new varieties to do so without any doubts or concerns regarding possible risks.