U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PubAg

Main content area

Mission and modern Citrus species diversity of Baja California Peninsula oases

Author:
Rafael De Grenade, Robert Krueger, Gary Paul Nabhan, Micheline Cariño Olvera
Source:
Economic botany 2014 v.68 no.3 pp. 266-282
ISSN:
0013-0001
Subject:
Citrus, gardens, groundwater, hybrids, income, introduced plants, irrigation, new variety, oases, orchards, ranching, shade trees, species diversity, valleys, varieties, Mexico, United States
Abstract:
The spring-fed mission oases of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico, hold several species, varieties and unique hybrids of heritage citrus, which may represent valuable genetic resources. Citrus species first arrived to the peninsula with the Jesuit missionaries (1697-1768), and new varieties were introduced during the support commercial citrus groves, though these are primarily found in the broader valleys of the peninsula where groundwater is tapped for irrigation. The isolated colonial and rancho periods following the mission era. These heritage trees are grown in field and house gardens as ornamental, fruit and shade trees. Commercial citrus varieties introduced from the United States have become a strong source of economic revenue for peninsula agriculturalists. A few of the peninsula oases environments of the mission oases and surrounding ranches have facilitated propagation of unique citrus types, and these have stabilized through integration into the cultural practices of the region. We identify and document citrus of the peninsula oases to serve as a baseline for those interested in the cultural ecology of citrus and citrus genetic resources.
Agid:
60758
Handle:
10113/60758