Obtained by means of a spontaneous mutation of the Marisol Iniasel 93 clementine, detected in 1992 by Mr. José Femenía, who filed a patent. AVASA obtained exclusive global rights to its propagation and commercialisation, and has applied to protect the variety in the European Union and in other countries with significant citric industries. AVASA-associated nurseries have been granted the licence to its exploitation.
The tree is vigorous, with some thorns in the more vigorous branches that disappear when it enters into production. The bark is delicate with multi-bud galls.
The fruit has an attractive vivid orange colour, with slightly protruding essential oil glands. It is easily peeled and is seedless. Its weight and thickness are slightly inferior to the Marisol variety, although it may be improved as it comes out of the preliminary results of tests carried out by Prof. Manuel Agustí’s team at Polytechnic University of Valencia. The development of the fruit’s colour index is consistently greater in the Loretina® than in other clementines, and it may therefore be harvested to be de-greened several days before the Marisol variety. When the fruits have reached their definitive colour on the tree, the Loretina® is more vivid in tone, with a very attractive reddish colouring.
The evolution of the fruit’s ripeness index is at any moment superior in the Loretina®, one or two weeks ahead of the Marisol. The evolution of the fruit’s density proves that it tends towards pitting before reaching the definitive colouring associated with the Marisol and other clementines, while Loretina® is highly dense even after reaching its definitive ripeness, meaning its commercialisation may be prolonged. In conclusion, if official studies held by the Valencian Agricultural Research Institute (I.V.A.) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (U.P.V.) are confirmed, the Loretina® variety may be very attractive indeed, bringing forward the clementine export campaign with higher quality fruit. This has been confirmed in many inspections carried out by American experts as well as teams from Japan and other countries interested in its import.