Jackfruit Production Guide

Jackfruit scientifically known as Artocarpus heterophyllius, lam, locally known as “nangka” or “langka” is a favorite dessert of Filipinos. It is one of the most widely grown fruit crops in the Philippines. It was reported that this fruit is one of the famous in the world because it produces the largest edible fruit that weighs as much as 50kg. 

Many people believe that the leaves of the jackfruit tree can cure skin diseases. The bast of the tree is utilized in making rope and clothing. Cebuanos use the wood of the jackfruit tree in making excellent guitars and ukeleles, that’s why jackfruit orchards are becoming increasingly popular in Cebu.

More and more farmers are becoming aware of the versatility of the jackfruit and they are exploring still other possible uses for it. Aside from food, the jackfruit is also used for commercial and noncommercial purposes. The fruit, trunk, leaves, and roots can be utilized for household use or can be processed commercially. The trunk can be used as lumber or building material. The leaves can be used as medicine, fodder for animals, and compost. It latex can be used as paste or glue. The seeds can be used as food, for human consumption, feeds or planting materials while the roots can be used as handle for farm implements.

Jackfruit grows best in deep, sandy loam to clay loam soils of medium fertility with good drainage. Fertility of the soils of medium fertility with good drainage. Fertility of the soil should be considered because of the rapid exhaustion of soil nutrients taken by the plants. The ideal pH of the soil for jackfruit ranges from 5 to 6.5. Distinct variations have been observed by the National Seed Industry council in Los Baños, Laguna and the Mandaue Experiment Station in Cebu city.

VARIETIES

Several varieties of jackfruit are grown in the Philippines, however, the most important cultivars are the Sinaba and Tinumbaga.

• Sinaba variety has thick flesh, small seed, and good eating quality.

• Tinumbaga variety has thinner flesh, a stronger aroma, and sweeter taste than Sinaba.

PROPAGATION

Jackfruit is usually propagated by seeds or by asexual propagation. Farmers who propagate by seeds should select healthy, vigorous, and disease-resistant seeds from productive mother trees. A sexual propagation can be done by enriching or grafting. Among the grafting methods, cleft grafting appears to be the most effective as it is able to counter the devastating effects of a typhoon which usually destroys tall trees. A cleft grafted tree is high in genetic quality, grows short but strong in stature. It’s branches tend to spread sidewards.

Plant seeds in seedboxes or tin cans. Clear and clean the field at least one year before transplanting seedlings to a permanent site. A few weeks before planting, dig holes about 60 to 80 centimeters in diameter and 40 to 50 centimeters deep. When planting, fill holes with fertile surface soil instead of subsoil dug out of the holes.

Before transplanting, prune-two-thirds of the leaves of the seedlings. Cut leafy brnaches to prevent excessive moisture loss and take special care when transplanting because the jackfruit has a delicate root system.

Also, planting distance should be no less than 10 to 12 meters between trees. Remove all weeds within a radius of one meter around the tree. Prune trees regularly to remove unnecessary twigs and branches.

FERTILIZATION AND IRRIGATION

Growing seedlings need ample nitrogen fertilizer while bearing trees need regular applications of phosphorous and potash.

1.) In the absence of soil analysis, apply as basal either manure or compost at the rate of 3kgs per plant or 2 metric tons per hectare. One month after planting, apply 100-150g ammonium sulfate per tree. After six months, apply an equal amount of 100-150g ammonium sulfate and towards the end of the rainy season. Organic fertilizer is advisable to apply around the trees. When trees start bearing fruits and during the start of the rainy season, apply 1/2kg-2kg complete fertilizer and 200g-300g muriate or potash (0-0-60) per tree. Every six months thereafter, apply complete fertilizer

at the rate of 1 1/2kg-3kg per tree.

2.) Water requirement is less critical in jackfruit production, however, irrigate the farm during extreme drought.

WEEDING

Periodic ring weeding and underbrush shall be done every three (3) months.

PRUNING

Prune trees at two (2) years of age. Cut the top of the main stem leaving 2-3 meters above the ground to regulate the height. Apply fungicide on resulting wounds. Pruning consists of the removal of small unproductive branches as well as diseased and insect-damaged ones. Since fruits are usually produced on the trunk and large branches, the removal of unwanted branches would give more light to the developing fruits.

In Thailand, a uniform system of pruning is followed, that is, by pruning the main trunk well above the bud union to induce the production of multiple branches close to the ground. Allow four or main branches to grow to carry the fruits, instead of distributing the heavy fruits on the main trunk and the smaller over to the side branches. This, system also opens the center of the tree for better light penetration and air movement.

PEST AND DISEASES

1.) Fruit fly – Like most fruit rrees, jackfruit is vulnerable to fruit fly infestation, a most destructive pest. The fruit fly lays its eggs under the skin of the fruit and which hatch in 5-6 days. The larvae work their way into the fruit, eventually causing rot and making it unfit for market. The larva comes out of the fruit and falls to the ground to pupate in the soil. An adult lays about 100 eggs in one oviposition.

To control – Wrap fruits with empty cement bags or jute sacks. Spray wrappers with pesticide to reduce fruit damage.

2.) Twig borer – Borers attack the twigs and cause the affected twigs to dry up. An adult borer is slight gray in color and about 2 cm long.

To control – Cut off all affected shoots and twigs and destroy them by burning before spraying the tree with the recommended insecticides with long residual effects. Spraying showed be done twice a month depending on the degree of infestation.

3.) Another common pest is the Bark borer.

To control – This pest remove the dead branches where it lays its eggs. Spray the recommended pesticides and bum affected twigs and dead branches.

4.) Jackfruit is also attacked by the Fungal pink disease, especially during the rainy season.

To prevent its spread, spray plants with sulphur fungicide at least twice a month during rainy season. Always prune and burn severely affected branches.

HARVESTING

Jackfruit bears fruit at three years old. About 10 fruits can be harvested the first time the tree bears fruit.

The following are indicators of fruit ripeness:

• when the last leaf on the stalk turns yellow;

• the fruit produces dull, hollow sounds when tapped;

• its well-developed and widely spaced spines yield to moderate pressure.

The time to harvest depends on how the fruit is to be Jackfruitused. If it’s for home consumption, pick fruit when the rind is soft, emitting an aromatic odor, and when the leaf nearest the stalk turns yellow. At this stage, the flesh of the fruit is yellow-orange, shiny and juicy. If you plan to sell the fruit, pick it when mature but still firm and without aroma. At this stage, the flesh is pale-yellow and crisp.

Take extra care not to damage the fruit. When you cut the penduncle of the fruit with a sharp knife or sickle, be sure another person wearing hand gloves to protect his hands from spines will assist. When harvesting from tall trees, place the fruit in a sack to prevent it from falling to the ground. Tie a rope to the stalk, snap the fruit from the tree, and slowly lower the bundle to the ground.

Harvesting should be done at mid – morning to late afternoon to reduced latex flow because, at this time of the day, latex cells are less turgid. This would minimize latex stains which give the fruit an unsightly appearance. Remove the retained peduncle and unwanted water sprouts from the trunk after picking the fruit.

When handling the fruit, lay it against a railing with its stalk down to let the latex flow and coagulate. It is best to transport the fruits in single layers. Always put dried banana leaves between fruits and spread some on the container to prevent the fruits from getting bruises, scars, and breaks. Never insert a pointer stick into the fruit’s stem. Many people in the rural areas believe this technique hastens ripening but this has no basis. A cut on the stem only serves as an entry point for decay-producing organisms.

The fruit usually weighs from five to 15 kilogram; bigger ones weigh more. Fruit experts or pomologists grade the fruit according to size: large, at least 20kg; medium, at least 15kg but no more than 20kg; and small, at least 8kg but not more than 15kg. Another way of grading jackfruit is according to condition. Grade No. 1 means that the fruit is fairly well-formed, free from damage by discoloration or scars, cuts, skin breaks, diseases, and insects. Grade No. 2 means that the fruit has no specific shape, though free from cuts, skin breaks, insects, and diseases.

Post-harvest operations

1. Remove immature, over-ripe, damaged and misshapen fruits.

2. Grade the remaining fruits according to size as follows:

– Large: weighing 16 kg and above

– Medium: weighing 8 kg to 16 kg

3. Wash fruits using chlorinated water (100 ppm) to remove dirt, latex stains and any field contamination.

4. Drain fruits properly to remove excess moisture from the surface of the fruit for further processing or storing.

Packaging and storage of fresh fruits

Graded and washed fruits are packed into plastic containers or bamboo baskets for storage.

• Freshly harvested ripe fruits can be stored for 4 to 5 days at 25-35ºC.

• Fruits can be kept for 2 to 6 weeks at 11-13ºC and relative humidity of 85-95%, depending on cultivar and maturity stage.

• Jackfruits stored at temperatures below 12ºC before transfer to higher temperatures show injury due to chilling. This includes dark-brown discoloration of the skin, pulp browning, a deterioration in flavour and increased susceptibility to decay.

Ripening

Prior to the pre- or minimal processing, jackfruits should be ripened fully to achieve optimum aroma, sweetness, taste and eating quality.

• Keep mature jackfruits at 24-27ºC. They will ripen in 3 to 4 days. However, uneven ripening is a major problem in the natural ripening process, especially for large-sized fruits.

• To achieve more uniform ripening, expose fruits to 50 ppm ethylene for 24 hours at 25ºC. The fruits ripen 3 to 4 days after the treatment with ethylene gas when kept at room temperature.

Pre-processing into fruitlets

1. Cut fruits in half lengthwise. Latex may exude from the cut surfaces when extracting the flesh. Coat hands, knives and work surfaces with vegetable oil to make clean-up easier.

2. Carve out the sticky central core.

3. Scoop out the individual fruitlets (bulbs).

4. Sort bulbs according to the required size, maturity and colour. Only full bulbs, (not half or partly cut) are recommended for retailing.

5. Cut the end of the bulbs to remove the seeds according to consumers’ preference.

6. Pack fruitlets for storage for direct consumption.

Packaging and storage of jackfruit fruitlets

• Jackfruit bulbs are packed in polythene bags which are heat-sealed or in polypropylene containers with lids. They can be kept at 2ºC for 3 weeks.

• Maintain the chilled temperature of 2ºC throughout the distribution process to avoid deterioration.

Pre-processing into pulp

1. Crush de-seeded jackfruit bulbs using a blender.

2. Add 40-45 g of powdered sugar to every 100 g of smashed pulp and mix thoroughly.

3. Dry mixture in a hot air drier at 80-85ºC until moisture content reaches 20-22%.

4. Place pulp in plastic containers and seal.

5. Freeze pulp and store for further processing.

Packaging and storage of pulp

• Pre-processed pulp is packed in polythene bags or in plastic containers. It can be kept for more than one year when stored at -20 – -22ºC.

Sources:
1. Technoguide Series, Jackfruit
DA-RFU 8, eastern Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (EVIARC)
2. Asexual Propagation in Jackfruit, EVIARC leaflet No. 1
3. Jackfruit Delights, EVIARC
4. Technical Manual for Small-Scale Fruit Processors, © 2004 International Centre for Underutilised Crops, UK

Guava Production Guide

The guava (Psidium guajava Linn.) is one of the distributed fruit tree crop in the tropics (like the Philippines) and subtropics and found to be indigenous to the American tropics. It has a great potential for extensive commercial production because of its ease of culture, high nutritional value and popularity of processed products. Most common areas where guavas are grown in abundance are: open areas, second-growth forests, backyard or as a part of a mixed orchard. However, at present, there are no existing records for big planting and production of guava in the Philippines. 

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

The fruit of guava is very rich in Vitamin C, which is substantially higher than what is found in citrus. It is also a good source of Vitamin A and other important elements. The fruit contains a large amount of citric, lactic, malic, oxalic and acetic acids and trace amount of formic acid.

The ripe fruit is usually eaten as dessert. It can also be utilized in many ways for making jellies, jam, paste, juice, baby foods, puree, beverage base, syrup, wine and other processed products. It may be eaten sliced with cream and sugar and as ingredient in cakes and pies. It is also used in dishes like “sinigang”.

Some parts of guava tree have medicinal and commercial usefulness. The bark and leaves are used in childbirth to expel the placenta. The leaves can be made into tea and astringent decoction can cure stomachache and act as vermifuge. When crushed or chewed, it is used for toothache treatment; pounded leaves may also be applied locally for rheumatism; can also be used for dyeing and tanning. The bark is sometimes used in complex cosmetics for hystero-epilepsy. Its wood is moderately strong and durable indoor and useful for handle and in carpentry and turnery.

VARIETIES/STRAINS

Supreme – The Supreme varieties from Florida. It is generally high yielding and produces a thick white flesh fruit of good quality for preserving or eating fresh. Fruit shape is ovate with distinct corrugation, 6.3 cm long, 5.5 cm in diameter and weighing 65 grams. The three is moderately prolific and regular bearing. When fully ripe, the fruit is bright yellow in color. The flavor in the inner pulp is sweet but the outer skin is slightly bitter and possesses a distinct strawberry wine odor, which is slightly astringent. It is moderately resistant to anthracnose and fruitfly but susceptible to leaf folder and aphids.

Red Indian Rolfs and Ruby – the fruit is ovate, 6.5 cm long, 5 cm in diameter with thin, smooth, medium green skin, weighing 75 grams. The fruit pulp is about 10 mm deep and red when fully ripe and has less pronounced corrugation. It is large seeded, sparsely populated but very sweet, juicy, crunchy and possesses a strong aroma. The tree is very prolific, regular bearing but easily attack by bats, moderately to anthracnose and oriental fruitfly.

Crosses between Ruby and Supreme – a large, white flesh variety from California, U.S.A.

Seedless variety – this variety has a fleshy layer, thick, that almost no seed cavity remained

Goyena Quezo de Bola (NSIC 02 Gv-01) – this is NSIC guava variety approved in 2002, being a prolific yielder possessing yellowish green color of skin, finely smooth texture with pleasant aroma and weigh 575 g/fruit.

The other outstanding varieties grown in the Philippines are Bangkok, Java, Vietnamese and Hawaiian.

SOIL AND CLIMATIC REQUIREMENT

Soil – guava does well on different soils from open sand to rather compact clay; from strongly acid (pH 4.5) to medium alkaline (pH 8.2) For good fruit production, guava should be grown in rich, deep, well drained soils high in organic matter.

Climate – a rather dry climate is favorable for guava production. It may thrive best in the tropics at elevation from sea level to 5,000 feet with a tropical or near tropical temperature requirements.

NURSERY PRACTICES

Seed germination and care of seedlings – guava seeds should be thoroughly cleaned soon after extraction from the fruits. It is necessary to treat the seeds with fungicides to prevent damping-off. They should be planted early to ensure high germination. Germinated seeds in beds or boxes with a medium of fine sand or an equal mixture of sand and topsoil. Sow them evenly in the furrows 2-3 cm apart and lightly cover with soil 0.5 – 1.0 cm deep. Water regularly to keep the soil moist.

Protect the seedlings against insect pests and diseases by spraying insecticides and/or fungicides. A month after emergence or when the first true leaves have formed transplant them in individual containers, like polybags using medium clay loam soil mixed with compost. Partial shading is necessary until the plant has recovered its growth. The plant is ready for planting or as rootstocks after one year

Propagation – guava is usually propagated by seeds. It can be propagated asexually through root suckers, root cutting, grafting, marcotting, budding, grafting and inarching.

Seed Propagation – propagation of guava is nearly always by seeds. Guavas are open-pollinated producing seedlings, which are highly variable in character. Variability in seedlings can be minimized by hand –self-pollination or individual flowers.

Root suckers and root cuttings – the use of root suckers is probably the oldest method of asexually propagating guava. Root suckers are induced by severing roots to a few feet from the base of the plants and these are transferred when roots and shoots are established.

Root cutting is done by cutting about 12-20 cm long parts of any butt very small or very large roots. These can be induced to sprout and form new plants provided it is placed in a suitable medium in a well-drained propagating bed. Both the use of root suckers and root cuttings are relatively slow methods of propagating guava.

Budding – an efficient vegetative propagation is by budding selected variety on seedling rootstock. Both the patch bud and forkert techniques are recommended onto seedling rootstock. The diameter of seedling stock and budwood should be from 15-25 mm. Budwood should be mature, bark no longer green. Condition the budwood by cutting off the leaves of selected branches 10-14 days before removing the branches for budwood. During this period the buds become more enlarged and grow more readily after budding.

Air layering – for this method, low branches of guava are bent down, about 12 – 15 cm of the branch is covered with soil and kept damp to induce root formation.

Stem cuttings – propagation by stem cuttings is made from the young wood at the end of the branches. These are rooted in sandy loam soil in propagating bed in a nursery house or shed. Guava stem cuttings treated with Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) or Napthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) proved to be successful for rooting and produce numerous and vigorous roots.

CULTURAL PRACTICES

Land Preparation – plow the area once or two times followed by several harrowings to completely pulverize and expose the soil. It is best done during the dry season.

Stake the field and dig holes at a distance of 5 – 7 meters to accommodate 277 seedlings in a hectare. In fertile soils, wider spacing is desirable.

Planting – the planting materials are transplanted into the holes earlier prepared after pruning some of the leaves and removing the plants from the containers. The plants are aligned with other trees in all directions. The best time to plant is at the onset or during the rainy season.

Weeding/cultivation – shallow cultivation around the base of the plant is recommended to prevent root injury, incorporate organic matter into the soil and to control weeds especially when trees need all the available soil moisture.

Pruning – pruning is a must in guava production. This is done if a certain form is desired like growing the tree with a spreading or symmetrical or limited crown or to keep number of branches. However, when the trees have established a strong framework and started to bear fruit, little training is required. The root sprouts; low-lying branches, disease infected and other dead branches, which are unnecessary just, have to be eliminated.

Fertilization – guava trees should be kept healthy through application of fertilizers from the time they are planted until they continue to produce fruits.

In the absence of definite information regarding the fertilizer requirements of guava in the Philippines, it is about 100-500 g ammonium sulfate will be applied around the base of each tree twice a year. The fertilizer will be applied one month after planting and 6 months after or towards the end of the rainy season. The amount will be increased, as the tree grows bigger. At the start of fruiting, each tree should be given about 300 – 500 g complete fertilizer, preferably one containing more nitrogen and potassium per application. At the peak of production (about 10 –18 years, an annual application of 2 kg or more complete fertilizer per tree, split in application may be required to sustain growth development and production of fruits.

Irrigation – no irrigation is required when trees are planted during the rainy season. But in case of prolonged dry weather, the orchard should be irrigated every 10 days or as often as maybe necessary. Irrigation when applied during fruit development can increase production through fruit size.

Intercropping – while the guava trees are not yet fully productive, intercropping of short season crops like vegetables, leguminous crops, root crops and other annual crops can be done. Aside from added income it will also prevent the growth of weeds and help cultivate the land in the orchard. However, this intercrop should be removed once the main crop becomes two crowded

CONTROL OF INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES

Insect pests:

Oriental fruit fly (Daucus dorsalis Hendel). The larvae burrow through the ripe fruits making them unfit for human consumption.

Control: Bagging the fruit. To avoid infestation, harvest fruit at the earliest possible time. Collect the infested fruits into a kerosene can with a thin layer of sand at the bottom and destroy the larva/pupa by heat

Aphids (Aphis gosypii Glover)– the pest damage the plant by feeding on young growth causing the curling of leaves.

Control: Spray with appropriate insecticide (like malathion) when necessary. Aphids are fed upon by lady beetles and by maggot of syrphid flies. They also parasitized by minute parasitic hymenopterans.

Mealy Bugs and Scale Insects:

Common White Mealy Bug (Planococcus lilacinus Ckll). It attacks and draws plant sap from the young shoots and fruits of guava. Its actual damage is economically insignificant, however, the ants that it attracts are nuisance when picking the fruits.

Control: Seldom needs remedial measures

Green Scale Insects (Coccus viridis Green). It is a soft scale that infests the young shoots, mostly on leaves. It is oval in shape, about 2 mm long, foliage green in color with an irregular V-shaped black on its back.

Control: Use of entomogenous fungi effective especially during rainy season. Use of small wash parasite, Coccophagus tibialis

Moth (Zuezera coffeae Nietn). Its pink caterpillar bores into young upright growing stems tunneling the stem center where it feeds and develops; extruding stem may suddenly die or break off at the level of the exit hole.

Control: If discovered early enough, the infested stem may be saved by inserting a coconut leaf midrib into the tunnel and pushing it in as far as it would go to speak and kill the caterpillar inside. If infested twigs has broken off spear the larva; dead infested twigs that have not broken off should be broken and the larva on pupa speared.

Diseases:

Spotting of leaves and fruits – caused by the parasitic alga, Cepaleuros mycoides Darst., is rather severe on some types and varieties in humid areas.

Control: Spraying with a Copper Fungicide

Anthracnose or Cracker – caused by Gloeasprrium psidii G. Del. The fungus produces two kinds of symptoms. Formation of cankerous spots throughout the fruit surface. These cankers are circular, dry and raised. In some areas, however, infected fruits becomes undersized misshaped, hard and dry.

Typical sunken soft lesions usually produced by anthracnose can be observed on ripe fruits. Under moist conditions, pinkish masses of spores can be seen on lesions surface. It also causes dieback of plants. On the leaves, the disease produces angular, rusty brown spots of varying sizes, usually 2-5 mm in diameter. During the rainy season, the blight of shoots is a common symptom.

Control: No control measure has ever been recommended although spray of fungicides can be recommended.

Wilting – caused by Gloremella psidii Sheld is another disease known to attack guava. The disease causes mummification and blackening of immature fruits.

PROCESSING AND UTILIZATION

Preparation of Guava Products

Guava Wine

Select ripe and sound fruits. Cut into quarters. To 1 part fruits, add 2 parts water. Boil until the fruits are soft. Strain and measure the extract. To every three (3) parts extract, add 1 part sugar. Stir and measure the extract. Cool. To every 15 to 15 liters, add one-tablespoon yeast. Place in demijohns to ferment. This will take from two weeks or longer. When the fermentation is completed, transfer into wine barrels and age for at least one year.

Guava Jelly

Select equal mixture of green and ripe guavas. Wash and cut into halves or quarters. For every kilo of guavas, add 2 liters of water. Boil in enamel or stainless steel basin for 30 minutes. Strain thru a cheesecloth bag. Crush the pulp and boil again, using 1-½ liters of water. Strain and combine the 2 extracts. Measure. To every cup of the extract, add ¾ cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of calamansi juice. Boil once to dissolve sugar and strain. Cook over strong fire until the temperature reaches 107o-108o until a soft ball is formed when the jelly is dropped in a cup of water. Pour in sterilized dry glass jars.

REFERENCES

BROWN, E.H. Useful Plants of the Philippines. Volume 3. pp. 152-155
CORONEL, R. E. 1983. Promising Fruits of the Philippines. College of Agriculture. U.P. Los Baños. Pp. 204-231

RANTUGAN, H. 1986. Guava In: Plant Industry Guide, Bureau of Plant Industry. 13 p.
SUDIARTO and MIEN A. RIFAI. 1992 In: PROSEA Edible Fruits and Nuts. E., Verheigand and R. Colonel (Editors). Bogor, Indonesia. Pp 266-272

CENDANA, S., M. GABRIEL and E. MAGALLONA. 1984. Insect Pests of Fruits Plants in the Philippines, UPLB, College, Laguna 86 p.

Source: bpi.da.gov.ph