This document provides information on avocado, including its botanical details, origin, production, and uses. It discusses that avocados were introduced to India about 100 years ago from Sri Lanka and are mainly grown in South India. It also summarizes that avocados are large berries containing one seed, and are cultivated for their green, fleshy fruit. Finally, it highlights several varieties of avocados grown commercially, including Fuerte, Hass, and Lula.

1. Welcome

2. Package of Practices
Submitted To:
Dr. M. M. Masu
Assistant Research Scientist,
Directorate of Research,
University Bhavan, A.A.U., Anand -388110
Submitted By:
LODAYA BIMAL PRAKASHBHAI
M.Sc. (Horti.) Fruit Science
First Semester
Reg. No: 04 -3165-2017

3. Botanical Name: Persea americana
Family: Lauraceae
Origin: Mexico
Chromosome No : 2n=24
Other Names: Butter fruit
INTRODUCTION

4. • It was introduced to
south and west
coasts of India about
100 years ago from
Ceylon.
• In India it is mainly
grown in South
where it is centred
on hill of slops of
Tamil Nadu, Kerala,
Coorg and in Selected
regions of Karnataka
and Maharashtra.

5. • Avocado fruit, which is botanically a large berry
containing a single large seed.
• Avocados are commercially valuable and are
cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates
throughout the world.
• They have a green-skinned, fleshy body that may be
pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical.
• Commercially, they ripen after harvesting.
• Avocado trees are partially self-pollinating and are
often propagated through grafting to maintain a
predictable quality and quantity of the fruit.

6. • Avocados have become more than a staple food in
the American diet; they have proven to be a key
ingredient in recipes for both inside the body and
on the body.
• According to the Hass Avocado Board, as of 2015,
avocado consumption in the United States doubled
since 2005 and quadrupled since 2000.
• National Avocado Day on July 31

7. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
AVOCADO FRUIT (PER 100G
OF EDIBLE PORTION)
General Composition
Energy value (cal.) 245.0
Protein (g) 1.7
Fat (g) 26.4
Total carbohydrates (g) 5.1
Crude fibre (g) 1.8
Vitamins (mg)
Vitamin A as carotene 0.17
Ascorbic acid 16.00
Niacin 1.10
Riboflavin 0.13
Thiamine 0.06
Source: Madhav Rao and Abdul Khader, 1977

8. Source: Madhav Rao and Abdul Khader, 1977
Minerals (mg)
Calcium 10.00
Chlorine 11.00
Copper 0.45
Iron 0.60
Magnesium 35.00
Manganese 4.21
Phosphorus 38.00
Sodium 368.00
Sulphur 28.50
Manganese 4.21
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
AVOCADO FRUIT (PER 100G
OF EDIBLE PORTION)

9. AVOCADO PRODUCTION (2012)

10. AVOCADO EXPORT (2012)

11. SOIL
• This fruit can be grown in variety of soil but they
come up to well in sandy loams type soil which
having 20-40% clay.
• Plant is very sensitive to water logged condition,
hence proper drainage facility is required.
• Major parts of the feeder roots are concentrated in
upper 50cm soil layer in a radius of 1-1.5m.
• Optimum pH ranges from 5-7.

12. CLIMATE
• Avocado is evergreen subtropical fruit
plant.
• Tree withstand mild winter but it
cannot tolerate freezing winter and
high summer temperature.
• Temperature below 250C is essential for flower
induction while average temperature range is
between 12.80C to 28.30C.
• Temperatures above 10°C at night and between 20°C
and 30°C during the day are required at flowering
(generally around September) to give good fruit set.
• Avocado comes up to well in areas having a rainfall
ranging from 75 to 180 cm.

13. PROPAGATION
Sexual and Asexual Propagation method are followed
in Avocado.
1. Seed Propagation:
Seed Propagation is easy but seedling
is not come True to Type. They remain
viable after 2-3 weeks after extraction of
ripe fruits. Its viability can be increase by
storing seeds in dry peat or sand at 5oC.
More number of seedling can be obtain
from the single seed by length wise splitting
of seed into 4 to 6 parts leaving piece of
embryo in each part .
Usually Seed required 50 to 95 days for
germination.

14. 2. Vegetative Propagation:
Cutting:
Depending on type
and race and cultivar,
rooting capacity will vary.
The best rooting
percentage is exhibited by
Mexican race followed by Guatlemalan race West Indian
race is difficult to root.
Use mist or bottom heat (26oC) along with
treatment of IBA promoted percentage of rooting.
• Layering is successful method in avocado in Kallar fruit
Station in Tamil Nadu.
http://experimentalfarming.blogspot.in/2014/04/

15. Grafting :
Veneer Grafting on 2-
4 months old rootstock with
5-7cm long terminal shoots.
Budding:
Chip budding and
shield budding are successful
methods of budding.

16. PLANTING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF ORCHARDS:
• Main field are ploughed,
harrowed and leveled
before planting.
• Planting system varied from
variety, climate and soil
condition.
• In general spacing given for
avocado planting is 6-12m.
• Recently, High density planting is adopted in Avocado
comprising 400 trees per hectare (5m x 5m).
• Later, plants are removed and 220 plants per hectare
are retained in Fuerte variety and 270 plants in Hass
variety for obtaining higher yield

17. • Pits of about 60cm3 are made 10-15 days before
planting.
• Pits are filled with 25kg of dried FYM, leaf module,
and top soil.
• The graft and bud seedlings
are planted with ball of earth
around the roots and graft
union kept above the soil.
• Planting is done in any time
during the year except the hot summer periods.
• After planting and till the establishment of plants
watering is a must.
• Buds / Grafts are to be supports by stacks.

18. MANURE AND FERTILIZERS:
Manure/
Fertilizer
(kg/tree)
Time of
Application
Age of Plants (year)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th &
above
Farmyard
manure
February/
March
- 10 20 30 40 50 60
Urea March/
April
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40-0.60
September
/ October
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40-0.60
Muriate
of potash
March/
April
0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70-0.80
Bone-
meal
March/
April
0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 1.00-1.50

19. TRAINING AND PRUNING:
• For the first 8-10 years no pruning is given as the tree
it self well balanced head consisting of a smooth
central stem with radiating whorls of horizontal
branches produced at regular intervals.
• No Regular Training and pruning is given to avocado

20. IRRIGATION:
• Avocado plants are not irrigated
regularly.
• After establishment, irrigation is
required during the severe
summer and prolong dry period.
• Irrigation at three weeks intervals
resulted early maturity, increased
fruit size and oil content.
• Sprinkler irrigation is batter the
flood irrigation system as avocado
have shallow root system and
they cannot stand water logging.

21. INTER CULTURE AND INTERCROP:
• Avocado orchard should be kept free from weeds.
• Shallow cultivation is preferred otherwise it damage
root system.
• Mulching with grass and
leaves, rice hull, rice hull +
paper and yard west can be
done as a practice that will
check the weed growth and
conserved the soil.
• Weedicides like simazine and monouron is applied
annually to check weed growth.
• Shallow rooted and leguminous crops are grown as
intercrop as intercrop in avocado plantation during
first few years.

22. FLOWERING :
• Seedling required 5-6
year for flowering
while vegetatively
propagated plant
need only 3-4 years.
• Avocado inflorescence is a compound panicle of
raceme with unique flower behavior.
• Avocado flower is bisexual
but female part is mature
first, then male organ
become functional.

23. • Each flower open twice ; First time
(stage I) as a functional female and
second time (stage II) as a
functional male.
• Honey bees are pollinating agents.
• Eventhough tree produced large
number of flower but fruit set is
very low.

24. FRUITSET:
• A sigmoid pattern of fruit
development is reported
in avocado.
• Initial phase of fruit
growth is characterized by
rapid cell division and cell
division in mesocarp
continues till maturity.
• Major influencing fruit
growth and environmental
attributes (rainfall, humidity and temperature) and
endogenous factor (hormones and nutrients).

25. MAJOR AVOCADO RACES:
a) Mexican race:
Small (250 g) fruit type, ripening 6 to 8 months
after flowering. Fruits have thin smooth skin with a
large seed fitting loosely in the central cavity. Oil
content is up to 30 per cent in the fruits. Trees of this
race are cold hardy.
b) Guatemalan race:
Fruits fairly large, weighing up to 600 g and
borne on long stalks. The fruits ripen 9-12 months after
flowering. Fruit skin is thick and often warty. Seeds,
held tightly in the hollow of the fruit, are small. The oil
content in fruits ranges between 8 and 15 per cent.

26. c) West Indian race:
Fruit medium in size and the fruit skin smooth,
leathery and glossy. Fruits are borne on long stalks and
require up to 9 months for ripening from the date of
flowering. Its seeds are large, fitting loosely in the
cavity. The oil content of the fruit is low (3-10 per cent).
This race is suitable for warm tropical climates.

27. VARIETIES:-
Fuerte:
This is the leading
commercial variety of Avocado
in the world and famous in
California. It is a hybrid between
Guatemalan and Mexican races.
Fruits are pyriform, weigh
between 225 to 450 g with
smooth, thin, dull green skin
and shows alternate bearing
tendency. Oil content varies
from 18-26%.

28. CHES A-1
Selection of seedlings of
unknown origin, tree medium
(15-16 feet) spreading, leaf 20-22
cm long ,8-10 cm wide. Flowers
in Feb–March and Oct-Nov. Fruits
borne in clusters of 3 to 5,
medium size green, round weigh
200-250 g. Ripen in April-May and
September–October.
TSS 10.5obrix. Pulp pale
yellow, recovery 60%.
Yield 300-500 fruit per tree.
Central Horticultural
Experiment Station
Chettalli

29. Pollock:
It belongs to West Indian
race and a vigorous variety.
Fruits large (900-1300 g),
oblong to pyriform in shape and
oil content is less (3.5%). It is
well suited to low land tropics.
Hass:
The cultivar originated as a
Guatemalan. Fruits are round,
medium sized, turn purple on
ripening and oil content is 20 %.
Suitable for cultivation in
subtropical climate.

30. TDK-1:
It is a semi spreading type with upright growth
habit, fruits round, weighing 600-650g and produces
265 Kg fruits/ tree. It is an early variety released from
HRS, Thadiyankudisai of TNAU, Coimbatore.
Lula:
It is a seedling from
Guatemalan race. This is a fast-
growing high yielding variety
suitable to tropical climate.
Fruits are pyriform, weighing
400-680 g, fruit surface smooth
and light green with 12-15 % oil.

31. Purple:
This variety is from West Indian race. Fruits pear
shaped with a long neck, 300-500 in weight, skin-
smooth, shining, leathery and deep crimson or maroon
coloured. Pulp is firm, smooth, fine textured, with a
nutty flavor and a popular variety in India.
Adi:
This varieties derived from a cross between hass
and Horshim and belongs to Group A. Fruits are round
having weight of 230g, flesh pale yellow with a green
rind and nutty flovour.
Horshim :
It is a high yielding avocado variety from Israel.

32. Green:
It belongs to
Guatemalan race. Fruits are
large (450-650g), oval to
obovate with thick brittle
skin and grown in india.

33. Not Ripe
Days to Ripe: 4-5
Frim Breaking Ripe Overripe
Almost Ripe
Days to Ripe: 1-2
Ready to Eat
Days to Ripe: 0
Past Ripe
Days to Ripe: past due
STAGES OF RIPENING

34. FRUIT HARVESTING
• Avocado plants raised
from seeds start bearing
five to six years after
planting.
• Mature fruits of purple
varieties change their
colour from purple to
maroon, whereas fruits of
green varieties become
greenish-yellow.

35. • Fruits are ready for
harvest when the colour
of seed coat within the
fruit changes from
yellowish white to dark
brown.
• Mature fruits ripen six to
ten days after harvesting.
The fruits remain hard as
long as they stay on the
trees, softening only after
harvest.

36. YIELDS
The yield ranges
from about 100 to 500
fruits per tree.
On average 300-
400 fruits can be
harvested from 10-15
years old trees.

37. • It is observed that during ripening, middle lamella
disappear and pectin get removed from cell wall and
fruits become soft.
POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT
• Avocado is a climacteric
fruit Ripening can be
accelerated by ethylene.
• Fruits exposed to ethylene
(10 ppm) for 36-48 hours
at 18°C, start ripening with
in 3-4 days time.

38. STORAGE
• Avocado fruits can be
stored for about one
month at low temperature
(5- 7°C).
• Post harvest life of the
fruits can be extended to
two months by exposing
them to hot air (38°C) at
50% RH for 6 h and storing
at 5°C.
• Storage life can also be extended by waxing fruits, packing
in polythene bag followed by low temperature storage
and by controlled atmospheric storage (2% O2, 10% CO2).

39. GRADING:
• When packed, avocados are sized into categories based
upon the weight of an individual fruit.
• These sizes are named according to the number of fruit
• For example, a “size 48” avocado refers to the size
category where 48 avocados placed in carton have a
net weight of 25 pounds.
• Using this method, the larger the size designation, the
smaller the fruit.
• As with maturity standards, the Avocado Inspection
Service has the responsibility of monitoring the size of
the individual fruit in each carton and, in addition,
certifying that each carton of avocados weighs 25
pounds, plus or minus a half-pound.

40. Size Total Weight Yield % Flesh
28 13.75 – 15.70 oz. 8.50 oz. 70%
32 11.75 – 14.00 oz. 7.50 oz. 70%
36 10.50 – 12.50 oz. 6.50 oz. 70%
40 9.50 – 11.50 oz. 6.00 oz. 70%
48 7.50 – 9.50 oz. 4.85 oz. 70%
60 6.25 – 7.50 oz. 4.00 oz. 66%
70 4.75 – 6.25 oz. 3.50 oz. 66%
84 3.75 – 4.75 oz. 3.00 oz. 66%

41. MARKETING
• In India, fruits of 250 to
300 grams in size are
preferred.
• Hard, mature fruits are
harvested and allowed to
ripen during transport and
distribution.
• Up to 14 days transport time is considered satisfactory,
though unripe avocados can be stored for up to four
weeks if the temperature is kept between 5.5 and 8°C.
• Presently, there is no organized marketing system for
avocado as the production is small and production areas
are scattered.

42. CROP PROTECTION
Pests
Important insect pests of avocado are scale insects,
mites and mealy bugs.
Mites Damage Mealy Bug

43. DISEASES
Fruit rot
It is an important disease
affecting avocado frees caused
by Colletotrichum
gloeosporioides. Infected fruits
drop down and remaining ones
fail to develop proper size and
sometimes get malformed. CA
storage prevents the disease
where the temperature is about
7.2°C.

44. Root rot
This is the most serious
disease in Avocado plantations
caused 17 Phytophthora cinnamomi.
Severe attack kill the trees.
Application of Ridomil (metalaxyl) @
1 g a.i. /10 kg soil, in soil before
planting and soil drenching @1g
a.i./10 lit. around established plants
can control the disease. Proper
drainage facilities should also be
provided.

45. OTHER DISEASES
Stem end rot
(Dothiorella aromatica)
Cercospora spot
(Cercospora purpurea)
Anthracnose
(Glomerella cingulata var. minor)

46. PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS
Mesocarp discoloration:
Mesocarp shows grey to brown discoloration
mainly in the distal half of the fruit. Factors affecting
polyphenol oxidase enzyme level is responsible for this
phenomena.

47. Grey pulp:
It is more prevalent in fruits
grown in warmer areas where the
moisture content of the fruits becomes
below 75%. Fruits become completely
unfit for storage and marketing.
Pulp spot:
Pulp spot is severe early in the
season and it is characterized by black
discoloration of vascular bundles at cut
ends of the fruit stalk.

48. Tip burn:
It is chloride toxicity
prevalent during spring
season. Affected leaves
show necrosis of the tips
and margins and
eventually they fall off. In
severe cases, yield will be
reduced. This can be
controlled by deep
ploughing, incorporation
of organic manures and
providing irrigation.

49. HEALTH BENEFIT OF AVOCADO

50. PRODUCTS OF AVOCADO
Food Products
• Avocado Cake
• Avocado Fries
• Avocado Oil
• Avocado Sauce
• Avocado Soup
• Avocado Toast
• Avocado Beverages

51. Beauty Products:
• Avocado Pear Night Cream
• Beauty Face Mask
• Cream
• Avocado Shampoo
• Avocado Day Cream.
• Avocado Oil.
• Lip Balm.

52. Reference Book : Fruit Crop
Author : Dr. T. Radha and Dr. L. Mathew
Published by : New India Publishing Agency,
New Delhi