BizAims

The history

Lemon is the symbol of the Mediterranean warmth and sun. It has its origin in Asia and being more exactly it comes from the Far East, India and China, where it was found growing wild. The fruit was known in China, India and in the Mesopotamian civilizations for its antiseptic, anti-rheumatic and refreshing properties and considered sacred in Muslim countries. It was mainly used as an antidote against poisons, as an astringent against dysenteric and hemorrhagic symptoms and as well as to keep the Devil away from homes. Ancient Egyptians used it to embalm their mummies and they often put it in tombs with dates and figs. Sicilians took some centuries to understand what a resource lemon was for them. Well, Sicily has not always been the country of lemons and of lemon growing. It is true that the lemon tree had been present since ancient times and that Arabs and Normans, since the time of their rule, appreciated it. Nevertheless the intensive farming of lemons and citrus fruits on the island only started in the XVII Century by the Jesuits. The spreading of the so-called "Mediterranean garden" then took place with the cultivations of the feudatories, emphyteuta and censual, which also determined the development and final roots of citrus cultivation in the Sicilian economy.

The legend. The goddess Earth, Gaea, produced some blooming small trees with golden Pommes, symbol of fertility and love, to celebrate the wedding between Hera and Zeus. It was a very precious gift because of its protective qualities. Jupiter, in fact, afraid of a possible theft, decided to keep them in a wonderful garden, guarded by the Hesperides. Heracles, Hercules for the Romans, for the will of Euristeo by whom he would have obtained immortality, in his XI labour had the task of stealing the precious pommes. The myth, in Apollodoro's version, tells that Heracles, aware of Hesperides' father's wish to pick up the pommes, cheated him, offering himself in his place as supporter of the sky: Atlas stole the pommes, but after having finished the theft, Heracles, pretending to take a cushion to put on his shoulders, called him again to support the heavenly bundle. Atlas incautiously consented, put the pommes on the ground and regained the substantial vault, while the strong hero caught the pommes and gave them to Euristeo. Another version of the myth has, as a warden of the gilded fruits, for Hera's will, a snake with one hundred heads, son of Forco and Ceta: The myth tells that, to pick up the fruits, Heracles killed the snake, causing Hera's desperation. This one, to honour the creature she greatly loved, decided to transform her in a constellation: the constellation of the Snake. The pommes were returned by Euristeo to Jupiter's wife, even if the Hesperides, mournful at the lost of the fruits which they guarded, each transformed herself in a tree, commonly known as a symbol of sadness: black poplar, willow-tree and elm.

Climatic conditions: The lemon tree comes from a tropical and sub-tropical environment, that’s why it needs to grow in a warm but sufficiently wet climate, with mild winters and not so wide ranges of temperature. For the lemon tree the best temperature to grow and vegetate is between 13° and 30° C. A temperature lower than 0° C damages the plants; moreover, if the temperature is higher than 38° and there is no humidity during the ripening setting (when the fruit starts to develop), the growth of the lemon fruit can be compromised. Even a strong wind can be extremely harmful for the lemon tree: the leaves and the sprouts could break off the tree, the branches could break and the fruit could be severely damaged by the rubbing. Rain should not be more than 1800 mm.

In regions where the climate is colder they grow lemon trees with an ornamental aim, in special hothouses (the lemon-orchards) which get opened only during the summer months.

The diseases of the lemon tree

Fungi, the Phoma tracheiphila is a mycotic endemic disease that is very frequent and noxious for citrus fruit, especially for the lemon which, among all the citrus fruit, is the most susceptible to it and the most damaged.

The cause of the disease is the fungus Phoma tracheiphila, which settles down in the ligneous vessels of the plant (but it can penetrate through the stomas, too) causing a typical tracheomycosis. The infection starts through the cuts that appear in the roots or, more frequently, in the foliage and develops between autumn and winter, when the climate is wetter and the temperature is around 15˚ and 20˚ C.

The symptoms are that the boughs turn yellow and the trees shed their leaves and dry up. The death of the plants that have been damaged by the fungus can happen in a variable lapse of time, from a few months to a year, depending on the part of the plant that has been damaged.

To cure the trees agronomists use a numerous natural remedies, which most of them don’t work. Anyway it is very important to avoid, in the lemon groves, a downpour-irrigation on the foliage, which would favour the spreading of the pathogenic, and to protect the plants from wind, cold and hail. Moreover, it is necessary to prune the tree often (but not too much, not to weaken the plant), to burn the infected parts, to cut the infected stumps and to limit the use of too azotized fertilizer: actually, the excess of azote makes the plant more accessible to the fungus.

All these strategies to cure the plants in a natural way reveal to be ineffective or not sufficient, that’s why it is usually necessary to support them with chemical cures, artificial remedies. Applications of cupric salts can prevent the infections penetrated through the foliage but are not effective against the infections which develop from the plant and the roots.

In spite of the satisfactory results obtained, these chemical remedies also show some defects in the practical application, because they have to be repeated more than once in autumn and in winter and, moreover, because they smear the fruit and can provoke phenomena of phytotoxicity.

It is possible to defend the plants from this disease, which is difficult to control, only using varieties resistant to the Phoma tracheiphila and not very susceptible to it. But this is not an utterly satisfactory solution either. As a matter of fact among the varieties of the lemon tree there are distinct levels of sensibility, and some cultivar: “Monachello”, “Interdonato”, “Femminello S. Teresa”, “Femminello”, “Femminella Continello”, etc., show a certain resistance, but the disadvantage is that, for some of these varieties, the capability of resisting to the Phoma tracheiphila often doesn’t match quality bio-agronomical characteristics.

The lemon trees can be attacked by various viruses or bacteria: Exocortite, Ringspot, Psorosis, Tristeza, Impietratura and Cristacortis. The most dangerous bacteriosis is caused by the Pseudomonas syringae, which breaks out with dark lesions on the leaves, especially in spring. To eliminate this pathogenic agent it is recommendable to prune very accurately the tree, in order to eliminate the infected boughs and better the airing of the foliage. In case of strong attacks it is advisable one intervention only, with cupric derivatives, between the end of October and the beginning of November.

The lemons are also subjected to the attack of parasites of either vegetal or animal origin. Among the animal parasites we find insects, acari and nematodes. Among the insects we can remember the cochineal that perforates the lamina of the leaf or the new trunks and sucks the sap. If the infestation is not so widespread it is possible to defeat this parasite removing it by hand, remembering to disinfect the holes left by the insects with a flock of cottonwool soaked with alcohol.

If the infestation is widespread, it is necessary to use some white oil, activated with a pyrethroid or with malathion for a more effective action. For an optimal result it is advisable to treat the plants with anti-coccids at the beginning of the spring or in autumn-winter, in order to destroy most of the eggs. Beware of snails, rodents and voles too.

Here is a drink that can help you get rid of headaches: pour the lemon juice in a sugar-free cup of coffee and drink. It is perfect to eliminate headache and a very good remedy if you suffer from poor digestion or tympanites.

While buying lemons avoid too glossy fruits, because they could have been treated chemically. Instead prefer fruits with leaves and twigs. If the lemon tastes “strangely” pay attention: it could have been treated chemically. Waxes and preservatives, in fact, can alter the fruit’s colour, so don’t hesitate to smell the lemon. Check the peduncle, it should be green. This is evidence of freshness of the citrus fruit. The citrus fruit has to be tough to the touch, to avoid buying a fruit which is in enzymatic decay of its flesh.

This lemon infusion is named for its colour which is canary lemon, canarino. It is an ancient remedy, very simple and effective that helps digestion. Drink it also if you feel sick or bloated, if you have headache or just in case of a slight indigestion.

Here are the ingredients for a single person: 1 lemon and its juice 590 ml of water:

Clean and peel the lemon, paying attention to strip off the white part. Put the rind into a pot together with water and the lemon juice. Boil it up, then remove from the fire and let it rest few minutes before drinking. Thus, pour into a cup and add sugar or honey.