The growth of plants and fruit development of lime tree `Tahiti′ on the rootstocks: Mandarin Cleopatra
(
Citrus reshni
Hort. Ex-. So.),
Volkamerian lemon (
Citrus volkameriana
Pasq.),
Citrus amblycarpa
and
Citrumelo swingle
(
Poncirus trifoliata
Raf. x
Citrus paradisi
Macf.)
was studied under the conditions of a Tropical Dry Forest, in the Locality of Tarabana (510 m.a.s.l with a latitude of 10º 01′ and a length of 69º 17′),
Lara State, Venezuela. Forty plants were evaluated, 10 on each rootstocks. The evaluated variables were: index of compatibility (IC), as the relation between the stem perimeter
10 cm over and 10 cm below the graft scar, plant height (PH) from the ground to the last crown branch, crown diameter (CD) was measured in two senses and in average, lateral surface
(LS), as the relation between the crown diameter and height, canopy volume (CV) through the formula Vol = 0.5236 x PH x CD
2 . Volkamerian and Amblycarpa induced greater
PH than Cleopatra and Swingle. Volkamerian and Cleopatra showed the best IC. Volkamerian and Amblycarpa showed higher values of CD, LS and CV than Cleopatra and Swingle. Cleopatra
and Swigle gave less vigor to lime tree 'Tahiti′. The top fruit size was reached at 165 days after set fruit where an equatorial diameter of the fruit was between 54.1-57.1 mm.