ZestLens Insights
What the research says about citrus size, quality and yield, written for growers.
Size codes, explained
Before a single fruit is packed, its diameter decides which market it can go to. Here is how the international size scale for citrus actually works.
ReadGrowthFinal fruit size is decided earlier than you think
Citrus fruit grow in three phases. By the time the crop looks ready, most of the decisions about its size have already been made.
ReadQualityWind scar and oil spotting: two blemishes you can plan around
Much of the fruit lost to class downgrades is marked by the wind in spring or by handling at harvest. Both follow patterns growers can act on.
ReadWater and climateWater, heat and fruit size: timing is everything
Deficit irrigation can save a fifth of the water without hurting yield, or cost a sixth of the crop. The difference is when it happens.
ReadSamplingHow many fruit do you need to measure?
A size estimate is only as good as the sample behind it. Statistics gives a clear answer, and it is more than most scouts measure.
ReadYieldEstimating yield before harvest
Counting fruit on the tree is harder than it looks, because a third of the crop is hidden. Here is what research says about doing it well.
ReadMeasurementCan a phone measure fruit as well as a caliper?
Phones are now accurate to a few millimetres on visible fruit. The details that decide whether that is good enough are tilt, occlusion and calibration.
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