The Murcian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research and Development (IMIDA) is developing new grapefruit varieties that will increase production, enhance quality, add more value, and provide a wider range of harvest times than those currently available in the market.
"These results will benefit producers by increasing the efficiency of breeding programs, crop profitability, production, and exports," stated Sara Rubira, the Regional Minister for Water, Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries.
The new varieties will enable us to provide consumers with healthier and more eco-friendly products, decrease pest control treatments, and enhance agriculture as an economic driver in the Region of Murcia," she emphasized.
To this end, the IMIDA Citrus Genetic Improvement Team has planted around 1,000 new trees obtained through various breeding techniques at the Torreblanca experimental farm in Torre Pacheco. IMIDA's Breeding Team plans to begin evaluating the trees and fruits in three or four years. This project is part of the strategic plan developed by the regional government and is co-financed with Feder and Autonomous Community funds.
Our goal is to create new varieties that produce juicier, seedless grapefruits with an intense, uniform color and low or zero levels of furanocoumarins," she added.
The Importance of grapefruit
Grapefruit is the fourth most important citrus fruit grown worldwide. Its cultivation in Spain has increased by 75 percent over the past seven years, and the Region of Murcia is the leading producer in Spain.
The most widely cultivated varieties are Star Ruby (90%) and Rio Red (10%), both of which have red flesh. The most popular variety in the Region of Murcia is the Star Ruby, which has a high juice content and a deeper flesh color.
Since ancient times, grapefruit has been called the 'fruit from paradise' (reflected in its scientific name Citrus paradisi) because of its important nutritional qualities and health benefits. It is a low-calorie fruit with anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antioxidant, and cholesterol-lowering properties. However, you should be cautious when consuming this fruit or avoid it if you have certain health conditions, as furanocoumarins can interact with some medications and boost their effects. That is why one of IMIDA's main aims is to develop grapefruit varieties with low or no furanocoumarin content.
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