| Dekopon | |
|---|---|
 Dekopon on tree | |
| Hybrid parentage | Kiyomi xponkan [(C. unshiu xsinensis) xC. poonensis] |
| Origin | developed inJapan in 1972 |
Dekopon (デコポン) is a seedless and sweet variety ofsatsuma orange.
It is a hybrid betweenKiyomi andponkan (Nakano no. 3), developed inJapan in 1972.[1][2]
Originally a brand name, "Dekopon" has become agenericized trademark and it is used to refer to all brands of the fruit; the generic name isshiranuhi orshiranui (不知火).[1][2] Dekopon is distinctive due to its sweet taste, large size, and the large protruding bump on the top of the fruit.
In Brazil, dekopon is marketed under the brand name ofKinsei. In the US, the dekopon was released as a commercial product under the name "Sumo Citrus". In South Korea, dekopon is calledhallabong (한라봉).
The name is most likely aportmanteau of the worddeko (凸, デコ; meaningconvex) as a reference to its bump, and thepon in ponkan (ポンカン; one of the fruits that it is derived from) to create "dekopon" (デコポン).[3]
There were many market names for dekopon during the time the name was a trademark of the product fromKumamoto. For instance,himepon was the market name for the fruits originating fromEhime prefecture. The ones grown inHiroshima prefecture were marketed ashiropon. After an agreement whereby anyone could use the name "dekopon" by paying a fee and meeting certain quality standards, the name was used for the fruit no matter where it came from in Japan.[3]
'Dekopon' does not have an agricultural variety registration number (Nōrin Bangō)[4] because of its bump, which at the time of its development was considered to be unsightly, and failure to reduceacidity in the fruit.[5]
The fruits are usually grown in largegreenhouses to keep them at a constant temperature, and are harvested from December to February (winter in Japan). In the case of garden farming, they are harvested from March to April.[6] After harvesting, dekopon are usually left for a period of 20–40 days so that the levels ofcitric acid in the fruit decrease, while the sugar levels increase to make a more appealing taste to market. Only fruits with sugar level above 13°Bx and citric acid below 1.0% can be sold with the name dekopon.[7]
2006 Area under cultivation of Citrus in Japan (hectares)[8][9]
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In Brazil, dekopon is marketed under the brand name ofKinsei which derived from the Japanese word for Venus.[10] Brazilian farmers have succeeded in adapting the variety to tropical to temperate climate in the highlands ofSão Paulo state. The work was done by Unkichi Taniwaki, a farmer of Japanese origin.[10]Kinsei is easily harvested from May to September. In the high season forkinsei, each fruit costs around US$0.50 at the Brazilian street market and supermarkets.[citation needed]
In South Korea, dekopon is calledhallabong (한라봉) afterHallasan, the mountain located onJeju Island where it is primarily grown.[11] They were introduced to Korea from Japan in 1990.[12]
The citrusbudwood was imported into the United States in 1998 by a California citrus grower, Brad Stark Jr. The rights to the sterilized budwood were purchased in 2005 by the Griffith family, owners of the nursery TreeSource and packing facility Suntreat.[13] The dekopon was released as a commercial product in the US under the name "Sumo Citrus" in early 2011.[14][15]
Dekopon have become so popular in Japan that the chewing candy brand giantHi-Chew (ハイチュウ) has released a limited-edition dekopon flavor.[16]
In commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the first shipment of dekopon, Japan Fruit Growers Cooperative Association designated 1 March "Dekopon day" in 2006.[17]
I first heard about the Dekopon in December 1998 from Brad Stark Jr.
