Cultivation practices of Sapota or Package practices of Sapota

 Cultivation practices of Sapota

Botanical name: Manilkar zapota. Family:Sapotaceae. Origin:Tropical America, 2n=26, Cross pollinated crop, Evergreen tree, Fruit borne in leaf axils of current season growth., Fruit type: Berry, It is drought tolerant plant. Other names are Sapote, Chiku.

Nutrition and uses

The food is a good source of and an appreciable source of proteins, fat,, fibre and Minerals , Calcium and Iron. This plant is also known for its latex. These are used as a base material in chewing gum and in some other Industrial Products. Also used in juice, halwas, jam, fruit Jellies preparation. The bark has several medicinal uses, the wood is used for making agricultural implements, building construction, furniture etc. Twings are used for firewood. Rich source of vitamin A and potassium.
digestible sugar (12-28%)

Climate and soil
Sapota, a crop of tropical region, need warm (10-38 C) and humid (70% relative humidity), climate where it flowers and fruits throughout the year. however, if taken to subtropics or to places of higher elevation like in Punjab and Hariyana, it gives only one crop from summer flowering in April and May. Under Moisture stress also, it produces one crop only.

Varieties:
Kalipatti, Chaatri, Cricket ball,  Calcutta round, Bhuripatti, Pilipatti, Jhumakia, Kirthibharathi, Bangalore. 

Propagation and rootstocks
Sapota is propagated through seed,  that produces variability in seedlings. Vegetative propagation of true to type planting material, inarching /approach (season; December -January) and soft wood (July-Aug) grafting using Manilkara hexandra or Mimusops hexandra (called Pala /khirni or rayan in India) as root stock is followed.
Adams apple - Manilkara lauki,  Star Apple - Chrysophyllum cainito, Mee tree- Bassia latifolia are other rootstocks used.

Cultivation :
Planting season: June - July ; in rainy areas - September.
Pits: in light soils pit of 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm, whereas in heavy and gravely soils pit of 100 cm x 100 cm x 100 cm size are made in April-May and exposed to Sun for 15 days.
Planting mixture: Farmyard manure -50kg,  3kg super phosphate and 1.5kg muriate of potash ; 25 gms carbofuron is used for pit filling.
Spacing: 10x10m
Planting system: square method.
High density plantations(HDP) having 5 m X 5m spacing upto the age of 13 years are very remunerative. Thereafter its begin to decline.

Training and pruning:

• Tree grows excellently giving a shape of an umbrella. Most trees are  in Central leader system.
• Sapota being an evergreen trees requires no regular pruning but regulation of vegetative to improve productivity and quality of fruits is necessary.
• Pruning in Sapota is confirmed to open the tree to light, and removal of dead and deceased branches.

Manuring and fertilization

• A dose of 50 kg farmyard manure, 400g N, 160g P2O5 and 450g K2O/tree/ year is optimum. This quantity can be regulated on the basis of age of tree and status of nutrients in soil especially of  P and K.
• Under rainfed condition, fertilizers should be applied before the onset of monsoon.
• Under irrigated conditions it should be applied in 2 splits in beginning of monsoon and post monsoon period
• In zinc and iron deficiency, the requirement should be met through application of organic manure and spraying of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 (0.5%).

Intercroping :
Intercropping banana, papaya, pineapple and Coca; French Bean, tomato, brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower and cucurbits is recommended depending on climate and water resources.

Irrigation :
Young plants should be irrigated regularly during dry season at an interval of 6 -8 days.
If the irrigation is insufficient to leads to dropping of flowers and small fruits in large number accounting the loss of healed up to 40%.

Maturity:

• Fruits at all maturity develop a dull Orange or potato colour.
• A mature fruit when scratched lightly show a yellow streak instead of a green Streak; which is a sign of immature condition.
• The dried spine like stigma at the tip of fruit Falls or drops off easily when touched.
• Brown scaly material disappears from the fruit surface as the fruit approach full maturity.

Harvesting 

• In flowers throughout the year but two main seasons of flowering 1st March -may and 2nd September-October. Two seasons of harvesting 1st March May 2nd September October it takes 7 to 10.5 months for maturity from anthesis.
• It is a climatic fruit, so full matured fruits are harvested. Fruit follow double sigmoid pattern of growth.
• Harvest the fruits with the stalk intact, individually by giving a twist.

Yield:

Grafted plants started from 4th year. Economical yield can be obtained from 7 to 8 years onwards. A normal plant yields 1500 to 2000 fruits annually. Depending on management level, 15 to 20 tonnes fruits are harvested from a hectare.