Origin and use
Eureka SL® lemon was developed by the
ARC-ITSC’s mutation breeding programme
in Messina, South Africa, and is the world’s
fist truly seedless lemon variety.
Due to its unique characteristics,
Eureka SL® is a novel, high-quality citrus
variety that can be differentiated by the
trade and identifid by the consumer.
In terms of consumption, Eureka SL® has
excellent potential in the food service
industry for supply to restaurants and
cocktail bars, as well as a convenient
alternative to conventional lemons.
Fruit Characteristics
Eureka SL® lemon trees have similar
flwering potential as Eureka lemon, and
generally flwer well. However, due to
pollen and ovule sterility, which results in
the seedless characteristic, fruit set under
moderate environmental stress, i.e. hot, dry
conditions, is lower for Eureka SL® lemon
than for Eureka lemon. Fruit set from the
autumn bloom tends to be higher than that
from the spring bloom.
Fruit size is similar to that of Eureka lemon
under similar crop load conditions. Time of
maturity is similar to that of Eureka lemon.
Eureka SL® fruit have relatively high juice
content and are totally seedless.
Tree characteristics
Eureka SL® lemon trees have a similar
growth habit to that of Eureka lemon.
Eureka SL® lemons trees are incompatible
with most trifoliate hybrid rootstocks, such
as the citranges (Carrizo, Troyer and C35)
and Swingle citrumelo.
Climate requirements
Variety is suited to cooler common
production areas. Eureka SL® is suitable for
the premium fresh fruit production regions
of South Africa such as the Eastern and
Western Cape.
• Eureka SL® lemon is owned by the
Agricultural Research Council-Institute for
Tropical and Subtropical Crops
(ARC-ITSC), South Africa.
• Eureka SL lemon is protected by the
Plant Breeders’ Rights Act, 1976 (as
amended), and unlawful propagation is
not permitted (PBR No. ZA 20043010).
• Eureka SL® will be marketed under a
trade name to ensure that fruit meet
exceptional fruit quality specifiations,
and the marketing of those fruit will be
co-ordinated by CitroGold (Pty) Ltd via a
single-desk, multi-channel marketing
system.
Eureka!™ Seedless Lemon
Citrogold International (Pty) Ltd. PO Box 3234, Matieland 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Tel: +27 21 882 8277 Fax: +27 21 882 8322 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.citrogold.co.za Skype: clemengold1
Leaf shape Fruit shape
Tree with fruit
Tree characteristics Same growth habit as Eureka.
Fruit size Same as Eureka.
Fruit shape Higher percentage of elongated fruit.
External appearance Smoother rind than Eureka
Internal appearance Same as Eureka Lemon.
Peelability –
Seed No seed
Flavour –
Hybrid Induced mutation of a Eureka Seedless.
Origin Musina Experimental station, Musina,
Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Ownership Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
Selected In 1998
PBR registration ZA 20043010
Internal quality tests
Test date Juice % Brix° T.Acid % Brix /
TA Ratio
> 55%
Optimum ripening date April (Eastern Cape)
Alternate bearing or
other problems
Poor fruit set in hot production regions
> 3 000 heat units.
Rootstocks used in
evaluation
Rough Lemon and X639
Copyright© 2008 by Citrogold (Pty) Ltd
Eureka!™ Seedless Lemon (Eureka SL® Lemon) – Technical information