О how to grow a sugar apple, read in this detailed article. Grow a sugar apple easy, but hard to get a high yield. But subject to all below Boards and requirements for to care behind sugar apple tree you can grow this sweet and creamy tropical fruit in your backyard.
The sugar apple (Annona squamosa) belongs to the Annonaceae family. Its exact origin is unknown. Although previously thought to be a native of India, recent historical and philological evidence makes this ambiguous, and he is believed to be of either Indian or Central American ancestry. The cultivation is most common in Brazil and India, and there it is one of the most important fruit crops. In Australia and India, it is also called custard apple .
Sugar Apple Information
This is a low-growing semi-deciduous tree or large shrub 3-7 m high with a spreading or open crown formed by irregularly shaped branches. Young shoots grow in a zigzag manner, grayish-waxy, smell when crushed.
Leaves are simple, alternate, elliptical, 5-11 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. They are dark green at the top and light blue-green at the bottom with smooth edges.
The flowers are pendant, axillary, hermaphroditic (bisexual), usually solitary, but can grow in groups of two to four. The flowers of the sugar apple are fragrant, green on the outside and creamy on the inside. These flowers are 1 to 1/2 inches long and have six petals.
Fruits are oval, 5 to 12 cm in diameter, greenish-yellowish in color. Outwardly, the connection of carpels is weak. The flesh is white or yellowish between the interlacing of carpels with many seeds. It is sweet, aromatic, buttery, edible, with a pleasant creamy taste.
Seeds are oblong, black, shiny, 1,25 cm long. The seed kernels contain 14 to 49% oil, which is used as a substitute for peanut butter in soap making.
How to grow a sugar apple tree
Growing a sugar apple from seeds
Seed propagation is the traditional method of growing a sugar apple. This is the most used breeding method. However, this method has several disadvantages, such as low germination, high genetic variability, late start of harvest, and the plants are taller and rather difficult to handle.
Collect fully ripe seeds from a tree that has excellent yields, great taste, and good health. The seeds lose their germination quickly (about 6 months), so they should be planted as soon as possible.
Seeds should be planted horizontally to a depth of 2-3 cm at a distance of 1,5 cm in a good quality seed mixture. Germination usually occurs within 30 days. However, it has a low germination rate and a slow time due to its dense seed coverage.
See also: Tips for Germinating Seeds
To speed up germination and achieve success, sand the seeds with sandpaper. After scarification, soak them in warm water for 24 hours. You can sow seeds directly at the planting site or plant them in a small pot. The transplant is carried out when the seedlings have outgrown the existing pot.
Buy grafted tree
Another type of reproduction is vegetative propagation by grafting. This method is the most recommended as it provides plants with the same genetic identity, better yield, healthy tree and quality fruit. If possible, buy a grafted tree from the nursery.
Planting a sugar apple
Plants should be planted 4 x 4 or 5 x 5 m apart. The size of the planting hole depends on the size of the plant and its root ball, but as a rule, the planting hole should be twice as wide and as deep as the root ball.
How to Grow a Potted Sugar Apple Tree
You can grow a sugar apple tree in a pot. It is similar to other tropical fruit trees such as guava or pomegranate. Regular pruning will be required. In addition, all the growing requirements below are the same as growing a sugar apple on the ground.
Varieties
Pitted Cuban is one of the most important varieties. Fruits are slightly deformed, medium in size with traces of underdeveloped seeds. Less attractive than regular fruits, but more productive.
Indian gardeners have identified ten types of sugar apple varieties, which are listed below:
‘Red’ (A. squamosa var. Sangareddyiz)
‘Red-speckled’
crimson
Yellow
Bleachable
Mammoth
Balangar
Kakarlapahad
Washington
Barbados
British guiana
Requirements for growing a sugar apple
Perfect climate and temperature
The most optimal temperature for growing a sugar apple is around 10-30 ° C. Despite being a tropical tree, the sugar apple has some cold tolerance. However, when temperatures drop below 32 F (0 C), seedlings and young plants die. Mature trees show some frost resistance down to temperatures below freezing. In addition, temperatures above or below optimal temperatures affect pollination, can cause fruit or bud shedding and shorten post-harvest life.
Watering
The plant easily tolerates long periods of drought. However, excessive drought can cause leaf and fruit fall. Optimal growth requires an annual rainfall of 750 to 1200 mm. In rainy weather, watering should be stopped. Typically, you should water a mature tree every 12-15 days (more on this below).
See also: How to grow pineapple guava
There must be enough moisture in the soil to stimulate the growth of plants and the flowering of new branches. The tree should be watered every 2-4 weeks during periods of weak growth and every 3-5 days during flowering and fruit setting. Water stress must be prevented and the soil must be moist during this time, as fruits are more sensitive to lack of water than leaves.
soil
Undemanding to soil type. * Growing sitafal (* common name in the Indian subcontinent) can be produced in poor rocky soils with a pH of 7-8. Although it grows in a wide variety of soils, from sandy, clayey to loamy, the healthiest and most productive trees are grown on fertile, loose, deep and neutral or slightly alkaline soils, not sandy, with good drainage and aeration. In addition, drainage is essential to prevent disease. Growth is directly related to the content of organic matter in the soil.
Humidity
Relative humidity is one of the climatic factors responsible for flower formation and pollination. Therefore, if you want to increase yields, you need to keep the humidity above 60%, especially during the flowering period.
Sugar apple tree care
Sugar apple flowers have a sweet scent
fertilizers
Full fertilization is recommended in the early years of planting. When the tree is mature enough to set fruit, using a 3: 10: 10 fertilizer will significantly increase flowering, fruit setting and yield.
In terms of organic fertilization, the sugar apple responds well to the introduction of organic matter from the earliest growth period. The application of organic fertilizers improves the texture of the soil and its condition, and also promotes the development of roots. It is recommended to apply 60 to 80 kg of matured manure or compost annually.
Pollination
One of the main problems affecting the yield and quality of the fruit of the sugar apple is the low rate of pollination of flowers and, as a result, the yield of the fruit.
The sugar apple has whole flowers (bisexual). However, the male and female parts of the flower function at different times of the day (this is called protandria, a condition in which the body begins life as male or female and later changes sex). The flowers of the sugar apple blossom for the first time during the day as a female flower. If the female flower is not pollinated, the flowers open wider early in the morning and shed pollen (male stage). For the best yield, it is recommended to attract pollinating insects or manually pollinate the flowers. To learn how to manually pollinate flowers, read this.
This cycle is shortened at high temperatures and lengthened at low temperatures.
Sugar apple pruning
Pruning should only be done in the spring if you are in cold climates. Sugar apple trees tend to form many branches, so pruning is recommended to give the tree the desired shape and control the number of main branches.
Prophylactic pruning serves to maintain the balance of the tree structure by removing shoots or shoots and branches that are growing in the wrong direction or pointing towards the ground.
Likewise, you should do sanitary pruning after every harvest. Sanitary pruning is the removal of branches and fruits that are damaged or have problems with pests or diseases.
Regenerative pruning is done after about 10 years, when the tree ages and becomes less vigorous and productive. When resuming pruning, the tree must be heavily pruned, but in several stages, so that it can start growing again.
Protection against wind
Like all other coniferous trees, the sugar apple is susceptible to wind damage. Possible breakage and rupture of branches. In addition, the fruit of the sugar apple is easily damaged by friction from the branches. In addition, strong dry wind speeds up the drying of the stigma, thereby reducing pollination. Therefore, it should be planted away from the wind.
Weed control
Growing a sugar apple requires weed control. This causes the biggest disadvantages in the younger stages. Control can be manual, mechanical or inert using herbicides or a combination of methods. You can also do mulching to stop weeds. The best way is to weed regularly and prevent other plants from growing at the base of the tree.
See also: Effective weeding tips
Sugar apple pests and diseases
Pest Control
The sugar apple tree is very vulnerable to pests. This reduces its production.
Usually pests and insects infect the fruit and cause it to die. The best way to protect the fruit is with fruit lids. Plastic bag, paper or polyethylene can be used to package fruits from the early stages of development. The bags must cover the fruit throughout its development, but must be open at the base and micro-perforated to allow gaseous water to escape, as excess moisture causes the fruit to rot.
Chemical control measures are complex, so it is best to prevent pests while maintaining the health of the tree. Also remember that using insecticides will kill friendly insects and pollinators. Some of the most common and primary pests to look for are moths, aphids, mealybugs, and scales.
Treatment of diseases
Among the most common diseases are anthracnose and leaf blight. These diseases are severe during rainfall, high and stable temperature and relative humidity.
Picking sugar apples
The sugar apple tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years and falls into decay after 12-15 years. An average adult tree produces between 100 and 180 fruits per year.
Deciding the optimal harvest time is critical. In addition, not all fruits ripen at the same time, and harvest times vary depending on the variety and the weather conditions in which they are grown.
Visual techniques based on changes in skin color and fruit shape are most commonly used today to decide when to harvest.
Another sign of ripening is a change in seed color, which during the ripening stage changes color from light brown to almost black.
These criteria are generally not reliable for determining proper ripeness, and sometimes the fruit is harvested before ripening. This is why commercial growers use chemicals to ripen the fruit after harvest.
The fruit must be harvested by cutting off the stem with a pruner. It should also be harvested in the morning. Sugar apple fruits are very tender and must be picked with extreme care.
Sugar apple uses
Fruits are consumed mainly fresh, as they have a rich creamy sweet taste. They are delicious, nutritious, rich in sugar, protein and phosphorus, with easily digestible pulp.
They are also used in desserts and recipes for juices, sorbets, desserts, wine, and ice cream.
Dry unripe fruits, seeds and leaf powder are used as insecticides. Leaves, stems and seeds contain fiber, oils, and various alkaloids.
