Common name, botanical name and family Floral biology Flowering and pollination Method of propagation Seed development, maturity, collection, extraction and drying Seed dormancy and germination improvement Storage behaviour

1. TRINITY CULTURAL ACADEMY, COIMBATORE
TITBITS 1: TROPICAL FRUITS
Prepared by
Dr. K. Vanangamudi
Formerly Dean (Agriculture), AC & RI, Coimbatore
Dean, Adhiparashakthi Agricultural College, Kalavai
Professor & Head (Seed Science & Technology)
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore
Contact: 9894904745
Mail: vanangamudi.tnau@gmail.com
Website: https://trinityculturalacademy.com/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCWGv08j5jaZ-nkvz46HrBVw
1. Common name, botanical name and family
Fruit crop Botanical name Family
Mango Mangifera indica Anacardiaceae
Banana Musa spp Musaceae
Sapota Achras sapota Sapotaceae
Guava Psidium guajava Myrtaceae
Citrus Citrus reticulata Rutaceae
Papaya Carica papaya Caricaceae
Jack fruit Artocarpus heterophyllus Moraceae
2. Floral biology
Fruit crop Inflorescence Flower Fruit
Mango Panicle Hermaphrodite Drupe

2. Banana Flowering stalk/spathe Unisexual/monoecious Fruit
Sapota Solitary Bisexual/hermaphrodite Berry
Guava Solitary Bisexual Berry
Citrus Cluster cyme/solitary Bisexual Hesperidium
Papaya Branched inflorescence Dioecious or
hermaphroditie
Berries
Jack fruit Cauliflorous Monoecious Compound or aggregate
fruit
3. Flowering and pollination
Fruit crop Flowering Pollination
Mango Later half of January and continue to
do so till February under north Indian
Cross pollination, anthesis time between 9
to 10 AM, stigma receptivity upto 72 hours

3. Fruit crop Flowering Pollination
conditions, November or usually
during December in Andhra Pradesh.
It varies under different climatic
conditions.
after anthesis.
Banana Inflorescence emerges from the centre
of the pseudostem 10 to 15 months
after planting
Cross pollination
Sapota Throughout the year Cross pollination
Guava Flowers from September to
November
Anthesis time 5 and 6:30 AM, stigma
receptivity for 2 days
Citrus Flowering during February to April Self - pollination, anthesis time 9:00 AM
to 12 PM, stigma receptivity starts 2-3
days earlier to anthesis and lost 4 days after
anthesis
Papaya Flowering in five to six months of
planting
Self - pollination
Jack fruit Male spikes emerged from the end of
October to the middle of April,
female spikes appeared during
February and March
Cross pollination
4. Method of propagation
Fruit crop Seed Vegetative
Mango  
Banana  
Sapota  x
Guava  
Citrus  
Papaya  x
Jack fruit  
: Yes; x: No
5. Seed development, maturity, collection, extraction and drying
Fruit
crop
Seed development/ maturity Collection Drying
Mango 120 DAA Seeds are best collected from
fully mature or ripe fruits
before the fruits have begun
to decay
Drying it for 2 days
Banana Fruits mature in about 60–90 days
after flowers
Extract seeds after ripening of
collected fruit
Many remain moist
for 1-2 weeks, place
on a paper towel to
dry
Sapota The sapota fruit requires from 120
to 245 days to mature after
Seeds from well ripe fruits are
collected, washed with water
Dried in shade

4. anthesis, depending on the
cultivar
Guava Fruit maturation approximately
3–5 months from anthesis
Collect the seeds from good
quality ripe fruit
Shade drying
Papaya 100 and 140 DAA Good quality riped fruit Sun or air drying in
the shade
6. Seed dormancy and germination improvement
Fruit
crop
Evidence of
dormancy
Period of
dormancy
Pretreatments
Mango  - -
Banana  2 to 3 months Scarification with sulphuric acid, chipping of testa,
softening of testa by soaking and use of alternating
temperatures
Sapota  - Soaking, dark condition.
Guava  - 4 months after –ripening, pre-soak: 12-72 h,
scarification: concentrated hydrochloric acid for 3 min
Citrus x - -
Papaya  35 days Matri conditioning at 25°C for 4 days and GA4+7 for 4
days
7. Storage behaviour
Fruit crop Orthodox seed Recalcitrant seed
Mango x 
Banana  x
Sapota x 
Guava  x
Citrus x 
Papaya  x
Jack fruit  x
 : Yes; x: No
8. Seed storage
Fruit
crop
Storage
condition
Storage method Period of storage
Mango 51.0% Seed storage with charcoal, stored under moist
conditions at relatively low temperatures
7 months wet storage
with polythene bag at
15C
Banana 8-10% Moisture – proof containers at subzero (-20C) 6 months
Sapota 8-10% Air dry storage 24 months in air dry
storage at 5C
Guava 35-40% Low moisture and low temperature (8C)
charcoal in open and sealed containers
18 months
Citrus 35-40% Acid lime in perforated polythene bag,
ambient temperature, cold storage (5C).
3 months

5. Papaya 9- 10 % 15 or 5C 9 months
Jack
fruit
31 to 39% Moist storage, dry charcoal and damp
charcoal, 700 guage polythene bag, cryogenic
storage
Upto 40 days