Citrus limon L. Burm.f.
CRC 3836
PI 539322
VI 232 (No longer available)
Source
Received as budwood from Willits & Newcomb, Thermal, via CCPP, 1963.
Parentage/origins
Origins unknown.
Rootstocks of accession
Yuma Ponderosa lemon
Season of ripeness at Riverside
The main crop is winter and early spring.
Notes and observations
09/27/2020, RRK: There are currently four accessions of 'Foothill' lemon in various permutations: PI 539320, PI 539332, CRC 4254, and CRC 4255.
The history of this cultivar is somewhat confusing. 'Foothill' lemon is apparently a selection of 'Villafranca'. According to Hodgson (1967) p 566, 'Villafranca' has characteristics intermediate between 'Lisbon' and 'Eureka' lemons: "Fruit indistinguishable from Eureka, but seasonal distribution of crop more like Lisbon, mainly in winter. Tree similar to Lisbon, but more open and upright in growth habit, less thorny, and not as densely foliated." Hodgson (1967) further states "...certain clones with characterstics intermediate between Eureka and Lisbon have been propagated as selections of [Villafranca]. Almost certainly several of those currently of importance in California, notably the...Corona Foothill Eureka...are in reality Villafranca selections." The fact that 'Foothill' is intermediate between 'Eureka' and 'Lisbon' probably explains the fact that PI 539320 was referred to as a Eureka and PI 539332 was referred to as as Lisbon. It is probably better to refer to these selections simply as 'Foothill'.
'Foothill' was promising in a desert lemon trial, particularly with regard to yield (Kahn et al, 2015). Budwood for the trial was obtained from Young's Nursery, Thermal, CA. Due to the fact that 'Foothill' as VI 232 was not available from CCPP, budwood was obtained by CCPP from Lyn Citrus Seed, Arvin, CA (formerly part of Willits and Newcomb Citrus Nursery) in order to establish an active VI for the certification program. Due to perceived uncertainty as to the identity of the Lyn source with the Young's source, budwood was taken directly from the desert lemon trial for incorporation into the VI program.
'Foothill' is described thusly by Kahn et al (2015): "Corona Foothills [sic] fruit were onblong in shape with excellent exterior fruit quality, average juice content, high seed count, high peel thickness and average peel smoothness. Corona Foothills [sic] fruit had good size, were relatively early in maturity and had the best first harvest yield and next-to-best total yield and returns with excellent cumulative yield.
Availability
No longer commercially available in California through the Citrus Clonal Protection Program. This accession no longer has an approved budsource. Please refer to the CCPP for information on another approved budsource or to start a reintroduction inquiry.
USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network page for Foothill Lisbon lemon
