SEMI-ARID FRUIT PLANTS, THEIR VARIETIES & THEIR SCIENTIFIC NAME

1. DATE PALM:

Scientific Name: Phoenix dactylifera L.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is considered as an important cash crop of the district Khairpur, which is also the major dates producing district in Pakistan. The date palm has an economic importance because of its fruit, which is most nutritive and energy providing food. Dates are rich in certain nutrients and provide a good source of rapid energy due to high carbohydrate content. In addition to carbohydrates dates contain minerals, proteins, fats and vitamins etc. Date palm cultivars are of three main types according to their fruit moisture content i.e., soft, semi-dry and dry cultivars.

Varieties:

Punjab: Hillavi, Khudravi

Sindh:      Asil, Fasli,

Khyber Pakhtoon Khuwa:    Dhakki, Basri, Halini and Zahidi

Baluchistan:          Muzawati, Begum Jangi, Halini, Sabzo

2. CUSTARD APPLE:

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Annona squamosa L

Cusatard apple is a small tree seldom more than 4.5 meters high. A dry-and-hot climate suits it most. It flourishes in lighter soils, and grows well even on the slopes of hills, but cannot stand cold or frost.This fruit-tree is propagated through seeds and by grafting. There is considerable variation in the fruit-trees when propagated from seeds. The fruits are variable in shape, oblong, or irregular. The size ranges from 7–12 cm (2.8–4.7 in). When ripe, the fruit is brown or yellowish, with red highlights and a varying degree of reticulation, depending on variety. The flavor is sweet and pleasant, akin to the taste of 'traditional' custard.

Varieties:

• Tikal-is of excellent quality and medium yield; its flesh is bright-red, except in the white areas surrounding the seeds.
• Canul-has a medium fruit with a waxy, shiny dark-red surface and purplish red flesh; it is very aromatic and deliciously sweet with few concretions of hard cells.
• Sarteneja-has a medium fruit with a waxy, shiny red surface and pink flesh with a magnificent taste and texture, although the fruit is not as attractive in appearance as that of the previous two cultivars. The tree is sturdier.
• San Pablo-has a long, large fruit with an opaque, light-red surface. The flesh is dark-pink with a good aroma and taste. It is a vigorous, productive cultivar.
• Benque-has a big, conical fruit with a dark-red surface and very tasty dark-pink flesh.
• Caledonia-has a small fruit with a dark surface: it is very attractive to cochineal insects (Philophaedra spp.), which are not very common in other varieties. The flesh is pink and has an excellent taste.

3. PHALSA:

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Grewia asiatica

A small deciduous tree or large straggling shrub, up to 4.5 m tall; bark rough, grey; branches long; slender, drooping, young ones densely coated with stellate hairs. The pulp, which is about 69% of the whole fruit, constitutes the edible portion and contains per 100g; water 80.8g, protein 1.3g, fat 0.9g, carbohydrates 14.7 g, fiber 1.2 g, minerals 1.1g, phosphorus 39 mg, calcium 129mg, iron 3.1 mg, carotene 0.48 mg, niacin 0.3 mg, and vitamin C 22 mg. The energy value is 300 kg/ 100g.

Varieties:

In phalsa, no distinct cultivar is identified. Some growers have, however, given names as Local and Sharbati. Two distinct types i.e. Tall and Dwarf were recognized. Dwarf type was found to be more productive.

1. Tall type: Plant height is 4.5 m, leaf size 20 * 18 cm. Leaves are light green in colour. Average fruit size is 2.07 cm and weighing 0.48 g. Average yield per bush is 5.2 kg. Pulp is 81.5 %, juice 5.4 %

2. Dwarf type: Plant height is 3.4 m, leaf size 18 * 15 cm. Leaves greenish white in colour. Fruit size is 2.26 cm, weight 0.54 g. Average yield is 3.5 kg per bush. Pulp 60.3%, juice recovery is 34.6 %

4. FIG:

SCIENTIFIC NAME: (Ficus carica L.)

The common fig is a deciduous tree growing to heights of up to 6 meters. Ficus carica is well known for its large, fragrant leaves. Fruit of the fig is made up of hundreds of flowers which grow inside the skin of the fruit. They are pollinated by a wasp with which the fruit has a symbiotic relationship. The seeds are all from the flowers, each of which contains only one seed, so the fig is a very unusual fruit. Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber, dried figs are richest in fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, relative to human needs.

Varieties:

There are basically three varieties of common figs:

§ Caducous (or Smyrna) figs require pollination by the fig wasp with pollen from caprifigs to develop crops. Some cultivars are Calimyrna, Marabout, and Zidi.

§ Persistent (or Common) figs do not need pollination; fruit develop through parthenocarpic means. This is the variety of fig most commonly grown by home gardeners. Adriatic, Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Brunswick, and Celeste are some representative cultivars.

§ Intermediate (or San Pedro) figs do not need pollination to set the breva crop, but do need pollination, at least in some regions, for the main crop. Examples are Lampeira, King, and San Pedro.

5. JUJUBE:

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.

Jujube (ber), is a small deciduous tree or shrub reaching a height of 5–10 metres (16–33 ft), usually with thorny branches. The fruit is an edible oval drupe 1.5–3 centimetres (0.59–1.2 in) deep; when immature it is smooth-green, with the consistency and taste of an apple, maturing brown to purplish-black and eventually wrinkled, looking like a small date. There is a single hard stone similar to an olive stone. Ber cultivation is becoming popular due to its outstanding advantages including bearing early, being rich in nutrition, long flowering season, as well as high tolerance to drought and salinity. Fruits of jujube are used in Pakistan as fresh and dehydrated for later use. By products of Ber include jams, chutney, murraba, juice and candies. Ber demonstrates a rich genetic diversity mostly resulting from natural cross pollination and self incompatibility. The genetic variation in ber population is in forms of fruit volume, yield and other characteristics.

Varieties:

More than fifty varieties of Ber are being grown in Pakistan. Some of them are:

• Dehli Sufaid:
It is very delicious and large sized variety of Ber. Fruit shape is round. Average fruit weight is 28gram while average fruit size is 11cm2. Stone size is 1.7cm2 and stone weight is 1.5gram. Yield per tree is 230-240kg. Vitamin C contents are 134mg per 100 gram while TSS is 21%.
• Dilbhar:
This is early variety of Ber. Fruit size is very attractive and of large size upto 11cm2. Fruit weight is upto 25gram. Stone weight is 1gram and stone size is upto 1.2cm2. TSS is 15%. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 112mg per 100gram. Yield per tree is 160-165kg.
• Suffon:
Fruit size of this variety is somewhat smaller then Dehli Sufaid. Average fruit weight is 16gram. Fruit size is 7cm2. Stone weight is 0.9gram while stone size is 1cm2. Total soluble solids are 17% while Vitamin C contents are 132gram per 100 gram. Average yield of fruit per tree is 115-120kg.
• Faisalabad-1:
It is very delicious variety of Ber. Average fruit weight is 28gram while average fruit size is 11cm2. Stone size is 1.4cm2 and stone weight is 2.1gram. Yield per tree is 170-175kg/plant. Vitamin C contents are 109mg per 100 gram while TSS is 17%.
• Ajooba:
It is very delicious variety of Ber. Average fruit weight is 14gram while average fruit size is 7cm2. Stone size is 9cm2 and stone weight is 9gram. Yield per tree is 115-120kg/plant. Vitamin C contents are 134mg per 100 gram while TSS is 18%.
• Fauladi:
It is very delicious variety of Ber. Average fruit weight is 37gram while average fruit size is 13cm2. Stone size is 2cm2 and stone weight is 2.3gram. Yield per tree is 180-185kg/plant. Vitamin C contents are 113mg per 100 gram while TSS is 19%.
• Mehmood Wali:
Average fruit weight of this variety is 14gram. Fruit size is upto 6cm2. Stone size is .3cm2 while stone weight is 1.4gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 103mg per 100gram. Yield per tree is 158-163kg while the TSS is 16%.

• Saddiqia:
It is very delicious variety of Ber. Average fruit weight is 10gram while average fruit size is 7.5cm2. Stone size is 0.7cm2 and stone weight is 0.7gram. Yield per tree is 170-175kg/plant. Vitamin C contents are 158mg per 100 gram while TSS is 23%.
• Yazman local:
It is very delicious variety of Ber. Average fruit weight is 34gram while average fruit size is 13cm2. Stone size is 0.7cm2 and stone weight is 1.3gram. Yield per tree is 145-150kg/plant. Vitamin C contents are 82mg per 100 gram while TSS is 17%.
• Gorh:
This variety is also called Desi Ber and used fir rootstock purpose. Average fruit weight of this variety is 5gram. Fruit size is upto 3 cm2. Stone size is 0.2 cm2 while stone weight is 0.5gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 177mg per 100gram, while the TSS is 24. Yield per tree is 137-140kg.
• Khobani:
Average fruit weight of this variety is 13gram. Fruit size is upto 7cm2. Stone size is 0.3 cm2 while stone weight is1.2gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 167mg per 100gram while the TSS is 18%. Yield per tree is 117-120kg.
• Bhawalpur selection:
Average fruit weight of this variety is 21 gram. Fruit size is upto 11 cm2. Stone size is 1.6 cm2 while stone weight is 2.2gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 128mg per 100gram, while the TSS is 16%. Yield per tree is 195-198kg.
• Anokhi:
This is also very delicious variety which develops reddish to brown spots on maturity. Average fruit weight of this variety is 16 gram. Fruit size is upto 7 cm2. Stone size is 1.6 cm2 while stone weight is 1.2gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 102mg per 100gram, while the TSS is 16%. Average Yield per tree is 190-195kg.
• Allu Bukhara:
This is late variety of ber reaches in market at end of March. Average fruit weight of this variety is 23gram. Fruit size is upto 10 cm2. Stone size is 0.6 cm2 while stone weight is 1.3gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 132mg per 100gram, while the TSS is 17%. Yield per tree is 210-215kg.
• Pak White:
This variety can be store for more days as compare to others so can be marketed to distant areas. Average fruit weight of this variety is 31gram. Fruit size is upto 13 cm2. Stone size is 0.5 cm2 while stone weight is 2gram. Vitamin C contents in this variety lies upto 122mg per 100gram, while the TSS is 19%. Yield per tree is 200-205 kg.

6. JAMUN:

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Syzygium cumini

A fairly fast growing species, it can reach heights of up to 30 m and can live more than 100 years. Its dense foliage provides shade and is grown just for its ornamental value. The wood is strong and is water resistant. The fruit is oblong, ovoid, starts green and turns pink to shining crimson black as it matures. A variant of the tree produces white coloured fruit. The fruit has a combination of sweet, mildly sour and astringent flavour and tends to colour the tongue purple. The seed is also used in various alternative healing systems like Ayurveda. It has a high source in vitamin A and vitamin C.

Varieties:

1. Ra Jamun : It produces big sized fruit with average lenght of 2.5 - 3.5 cm and of diameter 1.2 - 2.0 cm. Fruits are oblong in shape, deep purple or bluish black in colour at fully ripe stage. The pulp colour of ripe fruit is purple pink and the fruit is juicy and sweet. The stone is small in size. It ripens in the month of June-July. The variety is very common among the people.

2. Small sized Jamun : It is a late maturing variety. The average lenght of fruit is 1.5 - 2.0 cm and diameter is 1-1.5 cm. The fruit is slightly round in shape, deep purple or blackish in colour at full ripe stage. The colour of the pulp is purple, less in juice, weight and sweetness of pulp in comparison of that of 'Ra Jamun'.

7. AMLA:

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Phyllanthus emblica L.

The tree is small to medium in size, reaching 8 to 18 m in height, with a crooked trunk and spreading branches. The branchlets are glabrous or finely pubescent, 10–20 cm long, usually deciduous; the leaves are simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruit are nearly spherical, light greenish yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with six vertical stripes or furrows.

Varieties:

Amla variety BSR-1 was included for the investigation of heritability and genetic advance of different characters as affected by mutagenic treatments.

There are 3 main varieties of amla viz., Banarasi, Francis (Hathijhool) and Chakaiya.  These varieties have their own merits and demerits. Banarasi, an early-maturing amla, is a shy-bearing,  prone to heavy dropping of fruits with poor shelf –life.  Francis suffers from severe incidence of  fruit necrosis.  Chakaiya fruits are fibrous, smaller in size and also have a tendency to bear heavy crop in alternate years.  Other varieties identified and released for commercial cultivation during the recent years are:

Kanchan (NA4): A seedling selection from Chakaiya, it is heavy and regular bearer (7.7female flowers/ branchlet), with medium-sized fruits, having higher fibre content.  It is preferred by industries for pulp extraction and manufacturing of various products.  This has been adopted very well in the semiarid regions of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

NA6: A seedling selection from Chakaiya, it is prolific and heavy bearer (10.8female flowers / branchlet).  It is ideal for preserve and candy, owing to low fibre content.

NA7: A seedling selection of Francis, it is precocious, prolific and regular-bearer (9.7female flowers/ branchlet).  This is an ideal variety for preparation of products and has a great pr

REFRENCES:

1. http://www.pakissan.com/
2. http://agroguide.weebly.com/uploads/5/0/3/1/5031454/fruits_of_arid_and_semi_arid_areas.pdf
3. http://www.fruitipedia.com/
4. http://pakiagriculture.blogspot.com/

About Author:

Syeda Tahira Fatima Jafri

Website URL: http://agriculturism.blogspot.com/

BIO: I am doing my B.S. (IInd Year) in Agriculture & Agribusiness Management at the University of Karachi.

E-mail: fatimajafri@live.com