Kinnow (mandarin hybrid)
A mandarin hybrid grown mainly in Punjab, released by PAU in 1968 as the state's prime citrus. It ripens mid-January to mid-February and gives 125–150 kg a tree, with 12–25 seeds a fruit.
Quick facts
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Fruit ripens from mid-January to mid-February
- Expected yield
- 125–150 kg per tree (PAU); Punjab average 26.3 t/ha in 2020–21
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Cold-resistant (NHB). Fruit drop, twig die-back and Phytophthora need management (PAU)
- Release
- Bred by Howard B. Frost, University of California Citrus Experiment Station (crossed 1915, named 1935). Brought to the Regional Fruit Research Station, Abohar, by Dr. J.C. Bakshi in 1959. Recommended by PAU for Punjab from 1968.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Kinnow is a mandarin hybrid of King (Citrus nobilis) × Willow Leaf (Citrus deliciosa), crossed in 1915 by Howard B. Frost at the University of California Citrus Experiment Station and named in 1935. Dr. J.C. Bakshi brought it to the Regional Fruit Research Station, Abohar, in 1959, and PAU lists it from 1968 as the prime fruit of Punjab. The fruit is medium, globose to oblate, golden orange when fully mature, with a moderate, well-blended acidity, very rich flavour and 12 to 25 seeds. PAU says it ripens in January and gives 125 to 150 kg a tree. The NHB list adds a peelable rind with strong adherence, segments 9 to 10, and describes the variety as cold-resistant. Punjab's average for 2020–21 was 26.3 t/ha.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Kinnow if you are in Punjab or a similar irrigated, cold-winter belt and want a mandarin with a proven market. PAU gives 125 to 150 kg a tree and ripening from mid-January. If your buyer wants fewer seeds, plant PAU Kinnow-1 (0 to 9 seeds). For an early crop, PAU suggests Daisy, which matures before mid-November. In the hot, humid hills, Coorg or Khasi Mandarin suits better, and in the Vidarbha plains Nagpur Mandarin.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeSpring planting from mid-February to mid-March, or monsoon planting from mid-August to the end of October. Bare-rooted Kinnow can also be planted in December–February (PAU, Punjab)
- SpacingHigh-density planting at 6 × 3 m (20 × 10 ft) is recommended; alternate trees are removed at about the 15th year to leave 6 × 6 m (PAU)
- FertilizerA tree of 8 years or more: 80 kg FYM, 880 g nitrogen, 440 g phosphorus and 880 g potash a year. Apply all the FYM in December, nitrogen in two halves (February, and April–May after fruit set), and phosphorus with the first nitrogen (PAU)
- HarvestingPick from mid-January to mid-February at a TSS to acid ratio of 12:1 (outer fruit) and 14:1 (inner fruit). Clip the fruit with a short button, do not pull (PAU)
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Deep, fertile, well-drained soil with no hard pan; avoid waterlogged ground and saline or alkaline soil. Suitable limits: EC up to 0.5 mmhos/cm, calcium carbonate up to 5%, pH up to 8.5 (PAU)
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- It carries 12 to 25 seeds a fruit. If your buyer wants few seeds, PAU Kinnow-1 (2016) has 0 to 9.
- A young tree can overbear. In the 3rd and 4th year it may set 400 to 500 fruit, enough to hurt the tree, so PAU says to thin soon after fruit set in May.
- Fruit drop, twig die-back and Phytophthora are real risks in Punjab. PAU advises against flood irrigation, because it increases Phytophthora.
- It is an introduced hybrid, not an Indian-bred variety. PAU data is for Punjab. Check with your KVK before planting elsewhere.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
Pick on the sugar-acid ratio, not on colour
Kinnow turns golden orange before it is ready, so colour alone misleads. PAU gives a number to check: fruit from the outer tree is ready at a TSS to acid ratio of 12:1, and fruit from the inside at 14:1. Inside fruit can wait a little longer.
The best picking window is mid-January to mid-February. Take fruit in the dry part of the day, not with dew on it or just after rain. Cut with a clipper and leave a short, non-protruding stalk (the button). Do not pull, because the skin at the stem end tears.
What you do after picking decides the price. PAU says wash the fruit, dip it in 0.01% chlorinated water, dry it in shade, wax it with Citrashine, and pack in ventilated corrugated boxes. Packed in 2 kg or 4 kg boxes for retail, or 10 kg boxes for distant markets, it travels well. Fruit picked too early or too late does not keep, so a week of patience in the field is worth a lot.
Where the planting material comes from
This variety is budded onto a rootstock, not grown from seed. Seed out of its fruit will not come up as this variety, so it cannot be kept as seed. Buy budded plants from a registered nursery or a government farm, so the plant is true to the variety and free of disease.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Orange (Mandarin) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coorg Mandarin (Kodagu) | A revival crop for Kodagu's coffee estates, if you start with clean planting material | Bearing from year 4–5 (grafted plant) | No official per-hectare figure found; trees now give about 10 kg against over 50 kg in the past | Karnataka, Kerala |
| Khasi Mandarin | The GI-tagged King of Oranges for the Khasi and Jaintia hills, if you can source virus-free plants | Bearing from year 4–5 (grafted or seedling plant) | About 5.91 t/ha on average (ICAR Umiam, 2025), against 10.36 t/ha for India | Meghalaya, Assam |
| Kinnow (mandarin hybrid)this page | A cold-hardy, high-yielding mandarin hybrid for Punjab's winter fresh-fruit trade | Fruit ripens from mid-January to mid-February | 125–150 kg per tree (PAU); Punjab average 26.3 t/ha in 2020–21 | Punjab, Rajasthan |
| Nagpur Mandarin (Nagpur Santra) | The GI-tagged Vidarbha santra, for farmers who can manage water and buy greening-tested plants | Bearing from year 4–5 (grafted plant) | No official per-hectare figure found; a central-India rootstock trial recorded 156.3 kg a tree on Rangpur lime | Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Orange (Mandarin) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Orange (Mandarin) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Orange (Mandarin) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Orange (Mandarin) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Orange (Mandarin) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Orange (Mandarin) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Where did Kinnow originate?
At the University of California Citrus Experiment Station — Howard B. Frost crossed 'King' × 'Willow Leaf' mandarins in 1915, and the hybrid was named and released in 1935. It is not an India-bred hybrid originally.
When did Kinnow arrive in Punjab?
Dr. J.C. Bakshi introduced it to Punjab Agricultural University's Regional Fruit Research Station in Abohar in 1959, from where it spread to dominate the region's fresh-fruit trade.
Does the state list cover Rajasthan too?
The states listed for it are Punjab and Rajasthan. The PAU and NHB data used here are for Punjab, where Kinnow is the prime citrus. For Rajasthan or any other state, ask your KVK which cultivar and rootstock suit your soil and water.
Is there a seedless version of Kinnow?
A low-seeded mutant, PAU Kinnow-1, was released by PAU in 2016. It is mid-season and matures in January, with 0 to 9 seeds a fruit against 12 to 25 in Kinnow, 10.5% TSS and 0.81% acidity. A five-year-old plant gave 45 kg. It is a separate cultivar from the original Kinnow described here.
What are the parent species of Kinnow?
'King' (Citrus nobilis) and 'Willow Leaf' (Citrus deliciosa) — two distinct mandarin-type citrus species crossed to produce this hybrid.
When is Kinnow ready to pick?
PAU says the best picking time is mid-January to mid-February, varying with place and season. Pick when the fruit has the right size, colour and sugar-acid ratio: 12:1 for outer fruit and 14:1 for fruit from the inner tree. Colour alone is not enough.
How much does a Kinnow tree and a hectare give?
PAU lists 125 to 150 kg of fruit a tree for Kinnow. Punjab's state average for 2020–21 was 26,313 kg a hectare, or 26.3 t/ha, from 44,752 hectares. The farm average is far below the per-tree figure because young and old trees, poor sites and bad years pull it down.
Why should I thin a young Kinnow tree?
PAU says Kinnow tends to bear too heavily in its third and fourth year. A young tree can carry 400 to 500 fruit, its health suffers and some trees die. Thin the fruit soon after setting in May. PAU also advises three foliar sprays of 1.0% potassium nitrate at the end of May, June and July to improve fruit size.
How long can I store Kinnow?
PAU says healthy, unbruised fruit picked in the first week of February can be kept 8 weeks at room temperature if each fruit is seal-packed in 10 micron polythene. In ventilated corrugated boxes at 5–6°C and 90–95% humidity, quality stays acceptable for 45 days. Fruit picked too early or too late stores badly.
Sourced from: Package of Practices for Cultivation of Fruits — Punjab Agricultural University, Citrus varieties — National Horticulture Board. editorial policy.