3. The tree is handsome and stately, 30 to 70 ft (9-21 m) tall, with
evergreen, alternate, glossy, somewhat leathery leaves to 9 in
(22.5 cm) long, oval on mature wood, sometimes oblong or
deeply lobed on young shoots. All parts contain a sticky, white
latex.
Jackfruit, bearing world’s largest fruit is also known as poor
man’s food. It is hardly recognized as a commercial fruit crop
even though it is wildly grown in southern and eastern parts of
India. In African countries like Uganda, the fruit is regarded as
staple food.
In India, major states growing jackfruit are Assam, South Indian
states viz. Kerala, Tamil Nadu where Kerala has the largest area
(93000 ha) and production (21 lakh tons).
IntroductionIntroduction
4. Jackfruit is also known as poor man’s food.
Chromosome no. is 2n=56
An extract of jackfruit called Jacaline.
Inflorescence of jackfruit is Catkin.
Fruit of jackfruit is Sorosis.
5. Composition & uses :-
Jackfruit is comparatively as cheap fruit.
It is fairly good source of vitamins and minerals.
Immature fruit used as vegetable.
The jackfruit is also used for the preparation of jam, nectar,
preserves, squash, fruit bar and candy. From the mature but
unripe fruits, products like chips and papads can be prepared.
Medicinal uses:-
Tree has certain medicinal properties also. it is used for the
cancer treatment and skin diseases.
The ash of jackfruit leaves, burned with corn and coconut
shells, is used alone or mixed with coconut oil to heal ulcers.
6. Climate:-
The jackfruit is adapted only to humid tropical and near-tropical
climates.
It is sensitive to frost in its early life and cannot tolerate drought.
If rainfall is deficient, the tree must be irrigated.
In India, it thrives in the Himalayan foothills and from sea-level to
an altitude of 5,000 ft (1,500 m) in the south. It is stated that
jackfruits grown above 4,000 ft (1,200 m) are of poor quality and
usable only for cooking.
Soil:-
The fruit can be grown in wide variety of soils.
But it performs well in deep, rich, alluvial soil with enough
drainage facilities.
Tree is grown in laterite or open textured soils also, but sufficient
nutrients should be provided.
7. Propagation:-
Propagation is usually by seeds which can be kept no longer
than a month before planting because , seeds lose viability
within short period.
Seeds can either be sown in situ or in polythene bags and after
germination transplanted to the main field.
soaking seeds in NAA (25ppm) for 24 hrs enhances percentage
of
germination and seedling growth.
Vegetative propagation:-
Budding method like patch, chip and forkert are successful in
Jackfruit.
Air layering is the best method under West Bengal conditions
which gave 100% rooting with IBA treatment.
8. Varieties:-
In South India, jackfruits are classified as of two general types:
1)Koozha chakka, the fruits of which have small, fibrous, soft, mushy, but very sweet
carpels .
2)Koozha pazham, more important commercially, with crisp carpers of high quality
known as Varika. These types are apparently known in different areas by other
names such as Barka, or Berka (soft, sweet and broken open with the hands), and
Kapa or Kapiya (crisp and cut open with a knife)
The Jackfruit TNJ-1,TNJ-2,TNJ-3 and TNJ-4 collections from Faizabad fruit with
excellent quality, low fiber content and the suitable for the table purpose.
NJC-, NJC-2, NJC-3 have small to medium sized varities suitable for culinary
purpose. Burliar-1, Palur-1 (PLR-1) and Peechiparai-1 (PPI-1) were released from
the TNAU Coimbatore.
PLR-1 is an off season high yeilding variety.
Exotic varities of Jackfruit are Golden Nugget, Black Gold, Lemmon Gold
(Australia),Hazari, Chala, Khaja (Bangladesh) & NS-1, J- 30, j-31(Malaysia)
The 'Singapore', or 'Ceylon', jack, a remarkably early bearer producing fruit in
18 months to 2 1/2 years from transplanting, was introduced into India from
Ceylon and planted extensively in 1949. The fruit is of medium size with small,
fibrous carpers which are very sweet.
10. Cultivation:-
Planting:-
System of planting adopted is square method while hexagonal
system can be followed in less fertile soil.
Planting either with seedlings or vegetative propagules is done
during onset of monsoon period soon after planting, staking has to
be done.
In situ planting of 3-4 seeds / pit gave strong plant.
Soaking one-month-old seedlings in a gibberellic acid solution (25-
200 ppm) enhances shoot growth.
Gibberellic acid spray and paste increase root growth
11. Manures and Fertilizers :-
For better growth and yield of tree, manures and fertilizers are
to
be applied.
The recommended dose of jackfruit 600 : 300 : 240 gm of
NPK/Plant/year.
Training and Pruning :-
No regular training and pruning is given to trees.
But it is desirable to maintain a single stem upto a certain
height.
In aged trees light to medium pruning can be given to remove
over crowded branches without affecting yield.
(Muthulakshmi,2003)
12. Irrigation :-
Tree does not need regular irrigation.
Young trees can be watered during summer.
Frequency of irrigation depends upon soil and climatic
factors
Intercropping :-
Jackfruit intercropped with vegetable crops like
chillies, bhindi, brinjal, and pulses till trees reach bearing
stage.
13. Flowering :-
Trees start bearing from 6-8 years after planting.
According to locality and plant type, Flowering seasons starts
from November and extends upto march.
Very rarely , off-season flowering during September is noticed.
Female spikes are borne on footstalks from main branches while,
male spikes appear both on central and peripheral region.
Sex of spike can be easily identify.
Female spike are large and surface gritty while, male ones are
small with smooth surface.
A single male flower consists of stamen covered by perianth.
14. Fruit development :-
Pollination and fertilization of spike are completed within 3-6 days after
pollination.
fleshy perianth is the edible portion, which develops the flake.
Fruit consists of four parts,viz .,i) bulb (37-40%) ii) perigons (18-20%) iii)
rind (20-22%) iv) seeds (20-23%).
After fruit set it takes about 120-140 days to reach maturity.
Flattening of spines on the rind and thickening of latex are the maturity
of
indices.
Season:-
In Asia, jackfruits ripen principally from March to June, April to
September, or June to August, depending on the climatic region, with
some off-season crops from September to December, or a few fruits at
other times of the year.
In the West Indies, fruits ripens in June; in Florida, the season is late
summer and fall.
15. Harvesting:-
Harvesting season starts from February and extends
to
June
Fruits mature 3 to 8 months from flowering
Fruits are harvested along with their footstalks.
Yield vary from a few fruits during first year of bearing
and it may be as high as 250 fruits after 15 years of
age.
Individual fruit weight varies from 3-15kg.
On an average about 50-80 tonns of fruits per hectare.
16. Storage
Jack fruit is climatic in it’s nature of ripening.
Usually ripening takes place within 3 to 5
days after harvest.
These fruit is not normally stored in low
temp. but ripe flakes (bulbs)
can be stored at low temp for 2 – 3 weeks by
dipping then in sugar syrup containing
potassium metabisulphate and packing in 100
gauge
polypropylene cover without affecting the
quality.
Post Harvest Management
17. CROP PROTECTION:-
pest:-
Shoot borer (Diaphania caesalis) :-
It is reported from Karnataka. Maharashtra and Assam. The
caterpillars bore into shoot, flower bud or fruit causing wilting of
shoot, drying of flower buds and rotting of fruits. The pest can be
controlled by spraying phosphamidon (0.03%).
Bark borers:-
These are mostly polyphagus pest and in case of jackfruit,
Inderbela tetranonis and batocera spp. Are important. To control
borers, clean affected portion of bark on main stem and insert a
wick of cotton wool soaked in kerosene oil or carbon bisulphate
into holes and seal holes with mud.
18. •Bud weevil (Ochyromera artocarpi):-
It is found all over India. Buds and fruits fall prematurely by attack of
of this weevil . This can be controlled by spraying carbaryl (0.2%) and
also by destroying fallen fruits and buds.
Other pests affecting jackfruit are leaf webbers (Perinna nuda), scale
insect (Simalaspidus artocarpi), aphids (Greenidia artocarpi), mealy
bugs, white flies and red ants.
Disease:-
Fruit rot/soft rot (Rhizopus artocarpi):-
It is a serious disease and affected fruits fall off early. This can be
controlled by application of captan (0.2%) or Bordeaux mixture (1%).
Dieback (Botryodiplodia theobromae):-
Twings or branches shrivel, die and fall off. There may be gum
exudation from affected branches. Management of dieback includes
pruning of affected twings followed by spraying carbendazim (0.1%) or
chlorothalonil (0.2%).
The minor disease are leaf spot (Phyllosticta artocarpina), rust(Uredo
artocarpi), Pink disease (Botryobasidium salmonicolor ) and seed rot.