Leathery rectangles of squid had very little to say to oroblanco, a cousin of grapefruit.
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For dessert, for example, Hedendal served a small mound of homemade yogurt and whipped cream sprinkled with halved Barhi dates, coyote mint, dried cherry, kiwi, delicate segments of oroblanco grapefruit and blood orange, all bathed in chestnut honey.
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Oroblanco was more similar to grapefruit, while Melogold was more similar to pomelo. Melogold was much larger than Marsh grapefruit and Oroblanco at all test locations. Weight at Riverside from 1967 through 1975 averaged 470 grams for Melogold, 360 grams for Oroblanco and 280 grams for Marsh.
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An oroblanco, oro blanco (white gold) or sweetie (Citrus grandis Osbeck × C. Paradisi Macf.) is a sweet seedless citrus hybrid fruit similar to grapefruit. It is often referred to as oroblanco grapefruit.
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Percent juice has been equal to Marsh and slightly higher than Oroblanco.
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Exterior peel texture is smooth to slightly pebbled. Average peel thickness is slightly greater than Marsh, but as a percentage of fruit diameter is equal to Marsh and thinner than Oroblanco; interior color and texture are the same as Oroblanco. As with Oroblanco the central core hollow is greater than Marsh at maturity. The flesh is tender and juicy, separating well from the segment membranes.
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Oroblanco was developed as a cross between a diploid acidless pomelo and a seedy white tetraploid grapefruit, resulting in a triploid seedless fruit that is less acidic and less bitter than the grapefruit. The oroblanco was patented by the University of California in 1981 after its development by Robert Soost and James W. CameronSoost R K, Cameron J W. “Oroblanco'. a triploid pummelo- grapefruit hybrid. Hort Sci. 1980.Soost R K, Cameron J W. “Melogold'.
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Juvenile tree of "Oroblanco" in Missouri Botanical Gardens. Sweetie Oroblancos are either round- or oval- shaped with a thicker rind than grapefruit. When eaten, an oroblanco lacks bitterness associated with grapefruits and is rather sweet, even when the outer peel is still green, but the white membranes separating the fleshy segments are bitter and usually discarded. Oroblancos are available from September through December.
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A Melogold grapefruit tree Similar to oroblanco, Melogold can be eaten with a Grapefruit spoon, or peeled as an orange. They are ripe when still green. Melogold was once said to be preferred as a cash crop over oroblanco, since melogold has thinner skin, which is preferred by consumers. Exterior peel color is slower to develop than in Marsh grapefruit, but late in the season is comparable.
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The Melogold or Melogold grapefruit (Citrus grandis Osbeck × C. Paradisi Macf.) is a citrus hybrid similar to the oroblanco; both result from a cross between the pomelo and the grapefruit and is a fruit similar to a sweet grapefruit.
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In 1958, CRC 2240 (pomelo) Robert K. Soost and James W. Cameron crossed with a seedy, white, tetraploid grapefruit. Two of the triploid offspring had particularly favorable characteristics. One was released in 1980 as 'Oroblanco'. The second was released as Melogold.
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Further crosses have produced the tangelo (1905), the Minneola tangelo (1931), and the oroblanco (1984). Its true origins were not determined until the 1940s. This led to the official name being altered to Citrus × paradisi, the × identifying its hybrid origin.Texas Citrus: Puzzling Beginnings.
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Biological control and integrated pest management remained robust areas of research. In one case, the importation and establishment of a tiny stingless wasp brought the ash whitefly, which caused millions of dollars in damage to agriculture and also despoiled cars, under control. It was a case that brought widespread attention to Citrus Experiment Station research. The last quarter-century has also seen the release of several patented new varieties of citrus, starting with the 'Oroblanco' grapefruit in 1981 and continuing with the recent release of the 'Tango' mandarin.
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