IDENTIFICATION OF FRUIT AND PLANTATION CROPS

Aim of the experiment: To study on different fruit crops and their important characteristics.

Objective:

1.      To study the classification of fruit crops.

2.      To know different morphological aspects in identification of fruit crops.

Fruit: It is the seed bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms), developed from the ovary. Fruit is the edible plant part that can be consumed only after ripening.

Some important fruit crops and their characteristics are discussed below. 

TROPICAL FRUITS

Sl No.	Name	Botanical Name	Family	Chromosome  No	Origin	Fruit  Type
1	Mango	Mangifera indica	Anacardiaceae	40	Indo-Burma	Drupe/ Stone
2	Banana	Musa paradisica	Musaceae	22/33/44	South-east Asia	Berry
3	Papaya	Carica papaya	Caricaceae	18	Tropical America (Mexico)	Berry
4	Pineapple	Annanas comosus	Bromeliaceae	50	Brazil	Sorosis
5	Guava	Psidium guajava	Myrtaceae	22	Peru	Berry
6	Sapota	Achrus zapota/ Manilkara achras	Sapotaceae	26	Mexico	Berry
7	Custard Apple	Annona squamosa	Annonaceae	14	Tropical America (Mexico)	Aggregate fruit (eteario of berries)
8	Jackfruit	Artocarpus heterophyllus	Moraceae	56	India	Sorosis
9	Carambola	Averrhoea carambola	Oxalidaceae	24	Indio-Malaya	Capsule
10	Persimmon	Diospyras kaki	Ebenaceae	90	China
11	Coconut	Cocus nucifera	Arecaceae/ palmae	32	South-east Asia	Drupe/ Stone
12	Arecanut	Areca catechu	Arecaceae/ palmae	32		Beerry
13	Cashewnut	Anacardium occidentale	Anacardiaceae	42	Brazil	Kernel,Thalamus
14	Mangosteen	Garcinia mangosteena	Guttiferae	24	South-east Asia/ Indonesia
15	Passion Fruit	Passiflora edulis	Passifloraceae	18	Brazil

 

TEMPERATE FRUITS

Sl No.	Name	Botanical Name	Family	Chromosome No	Origin	Fruit Type
1	Apple	Malus domestica	Rosaceae	34	Asia minor to western Himalaya	Pome
2	Pear	Pyrus communis	Rosaceae	34	Europe	Pome
3	Plum	Prunus domestica	Rosaceae	16-Japanese, 48-European	China, Japan	Drupe/ Stone
4	Peach	Prunus Persia	Rosaceae	16	China	Drupe/ Stone
5	Apricot	Prunus armeniaca	Rosaceae	16	China
6	Cherry	Prunus avium	Rosaceae	16		Drupe/ Stone
7	Strawberry	Fragaria ananasa	Rosaceae	56	Man made hybrid	Berry
8	Almond	Prunus communis	Rosaceae	16	Afghanistan	Nut
9	Walnut	Juglans regia	Juglandaceae	32	Indo-China	Nut
10	Pecanut	Carya illieonsis	Juglandaceae	36	USA	Nut

  

SUBTROPICAL FRUITS

Sl No.	Name	Botanical Name	Family	Chromosome No	Origin	Fruit Type
1	Mandarin	Citrus reticulata	Rutaceae	18	China	Hesperidium
2	Sweet Orange	Citrus sinensis	Rutaceae	18	China
3	Kagzi Lime	Citrus aurantifolia	Rutaceae	18	India
4	Grape Fruit	Citrus paradisi	Rutaceae	18
5	Lemon	Citrus limon	Rutaceae	18	South East Asia
6	Litchi	Litchi chinensis	Sapindaceae	30	China	Nut
7	Grape	Vitis vinifera	Vitaceae	38	Black to Caspean sea	Berry
8	Pomegranate	Punica granatum	Punicaceae	18	Iran	Balausta
9	Avocado	Persia americana	Lauraceae	24	Mexico	berry
10	Loquat	Eriobotrya japonica	Rosaceae	34	China	Pome
11	Kiwi Fruit	Actinidia deliciosa	Actinidaceae	58

 

 ARID AND SEMI-ARID FRUITS

Sl No.	Name	Botanical Name	Family	Chromosome No	Origin	Fruit Type
1	Aonla	Emblica officinalis	Euphorbiaceae	28	Indo-China	capsule
2	Bael	Aegle marmelos	Rutaceae	18	India	Amphisarca
3	Wood Apple	Feronia limonica	Rutaceae	18		Amphisarca
4	Ber	Zizyphus mauritiana	Rhamnaceae	48		Drupe/ Stone
5	Fig	Ficus carica	Moraceae	56	West Asia (Iraq)	Syconus (multiple fruit)
6	Jamun	Syzygium cumunii	Myrtaceae	40	Indo-Malaya	Berry
7	Phalsa	Grewia subinequalis	Tiliaceae	36	India	Berry
8	Karonda	Carrisa carandas	Apocyanaceae	22		Berry
9	Datepalm	Phoenix dactylifera	Arecaceae/ palmae	36	West Asia (Iraq)	Drupe/ Stone
10	Tamarind	Tamarindus indica	Leguminoceae	24		Pod/ lomentum

Plantation crops

In the original sense, the term plantation refers to a forest crop raised artificially either by direct sowing or planting. In the horticulture sense, the term plantation crop refers to a woody perennial crop grown on a large contiguous area, managed by an individual or a company, the product of which is consumed only after processing.

Characteristics of plantation crop:

1.      It should be a woody perennial (palm, tree, shrub or vine).

2.      It should be grown in a large contiguous area (estate or plantation).

3.      It should be managed by an individual or company.

4.      The produce is suitable for consumption only after processing.

5.      These crops are restricted to the latitude of 20⁰N to 20⁰S.

6.      They are high-value commercial crops.

Important plantation crops are enlisted in the following table-

Sl No.	Common Name	Scientific Name	Family	Origin	Chromosome No	Method of Propagation (Commercial)	Edible Part
1	Coconut	Cocos nucifera	Palmae	South east Asia	2n = 2x = 32	Seed	Endosperm
2	Areca nut	Areca catechu	Palmae/ Arecaceae	Malayan archipelago and other east Indian islands	2n = 2x = 32	Seed	Kernel
3	Oil palm	Elias guineensis	Palmae	Guinea coast of West Africa	2n= 2x= 32	Seed	Kernel
4	Palmyra palm	Borosus fleballifer	Palmae	Africa	2n= 2x= 32	Seed	Endosperm and toddy
5	Date palm	Phoenix dactylifera	Palmae	Iraq	2n= 2x= 36	Offshoot/ Sucker
6	Cashew nut	Anacardium occidentale	Anacardi-aceae	Brazil	2n= 2x= 42	Softwood grafting	Cotyledon
7	Tea	Camellia sinensis	Camaliac-eae/ Theaceae	China	2n= 2x= 30	Softwood cutting/ leaf node cutting	Leaves
8	Coffee
	Arabica	Coffea arabica	Rubiaceae	Ethiopia/ Brazil	2n= 2x= 22	Seed	Berry
	Robusta	C. robusta/ C. canephora			2n= 4x= 44
	Tree coffee	C. liberica			2n= 2x= 22
9	Rubber	Hevea brasiliensis	Euphorbi-aceae	Brazil	2n=36	Forket budding	Latex
10	Cocao	Theobroma cocoa	Sterculia-ceae	Amazon basin	2n= 2x= 20	Seed	Seed
11	Betel vine	Piper betle	Piperace-ae	Central and eastern Malaysia	2n= 6x= 78	Vine cuttings	Leaves