Important Points in Fruit Science

Important Points in Fruit Science

• Peach and plum hybrid is known as Blackman or Mule.

• Apple trees are good indications of Ca, K, Mg and B deficiencies.

• The wind break has to maximum effect to a distance of about 4 times to plant height.

• In general wind velocity is reduced on the windward side from 5–10 times of tree height from the shelter belts and 30 times from leeward sides.

• Shelter belts are more useful in arid zones.

Annual Water Requirement of Some Important Fruit Crops

1. Banana – 1200 to 2200 mm

2. Citrus – 900 to 1200 mm

3. Grape – 500 to 1200 mm

4. Pineapple – 700 to 1000 mm

• Sphagnum moss grass holds 10–12 times more water than its own weight.

Colour Pigments in Fruit Crops

1. Carotenoids – Mango, citrus, banana, sapota, pineapple and persimmon.

2. Anthocyanin & Quercetin – Grape

3. Anthocyanin – Litchi, pomegranate

4. Carotenoid & Caricaxanthin – Papaya

5. Carotenoid & Lycopene – Guava

6. Carotenoid & Cryptoxanthin – Avocado

Important Botanical Points

• Gooseberry (Ribes), blue berries (Vaccinium) and currant (Ribes) are true berries.

• Strawberry is not a berry because the fleshy part (edible part) is not formed from the pistil but from the receptacle (stem tissue).

• Black berry, daw berry, raspberry – not berries.

• In pome fruits, carpals are leathery and receptacle becomes fleshy and edible portion.

• The pH of sphagnum moss grass is about 3.5–4.0.

• The term polygene was first used by K. Mathur (1917).

Filler Plants

• Kinnow, peach, plum, papaya and phalsa are most suitable filler plants for mango, litchi and pear.

Processing of Fruit Crops

• In grape and peach, about 90% of the total produce is processed.

Stem Type

• Single stem fruits – Papaya, pineapple, banana

• Branched stem – Mango, strawberry, loquat, peach & grape

Protected Cultivation

• Apricot – choicest variety for protected cultivation in China – Gold Sun

• Largest producer of banana under greenhouse – Morocco & Spain

• Suitable variety of banana for protection – Grand Nain

• Most common fruit for protected cultivation – Strawberry

• Leading producer of grapes under protected cultivation – China (var. Kyoho)

• Plastic houses are suitable for cherry cultivation.

• Cold frames are widely used for hardening of seedlings.

• Mist chamber is suitable for rooting of leaf cutting.

• Poly houses give 5–6 times higher production compared to open field.

• Suitable fruit crops for hydroponics – Strawberry, raspberry

Other Important Points

• Motorized aril extractor developed for pomegranate.

• Bael fruit can be used to control rice blast.

• Dr. M.S. Swaminathan – architect of India’s Green Revolution.

• Higher fruit crop whose genome has been sequenced – Papaya (2008).

• Country peach – common rootstock used in India for plum.

• Citrus is the world’s leading fruit crop.

• In world scenario, almost 54% of drip irrigation is applied in citrus orchard.

• In jackfruit, flowers not exhibits.

• The skin of grape berry covered with wax layer is called as cutin.