SYZYGIUM CUMINI (L.) AS AN AGRO-FORESTRY PLANT IN SINDH-PAKISTAN

SYZYGIUM CUMINI (L.) AS AN AGRO-FORESTRY PLANT IN SINDH-PAKISTAN

Abstract

In Sindh the share of forestry in value added of agriculture sector for the year 1994-95 was 1.10%. At Panhwar Fruit Farm, which is located between 23°40’ to 28°38’N and 66°40’ to 71°30’E. The region have sub-tropical climate receive 100-550 chill units and 3700-4500 heat units. Having soil pH 8.5, soil is silty loam, annual rainfall 175mm.

We grow syzygium cumini along with rose (Floribundas) which is used for fragrance and fresh flower market. Jamon belongs to the family Myrtaceae, in which 400-500 species are present but only few provide edible fruit.

Syzyguim species are as under:

Syzygium aqueum (Burm) Alston.
Syzygium grande (Wight) Walp.
Syzygium Jambos (L) Alston.
Syzygium malaccense (L) Merrill & L.M. Perry.
Syzygium pycananthum - Merrill & L.M. Perry.
Syzygium Samarangense (Blume) Merril & L.M. Perry.
Syzygium cummunii Syneugenia Jambolana.
Syzygium Jambos (Rose apple or Sufed Jamon).
Syzygium fruitecosum.
Syzygium Javanica (water apple).
Syzygium Uniflora (Surinam cherry pitanga cherry).
Syzygium Zylanica.

Our yeild is 3 tonnes/acre. Its wood is resemble with Teak wood and an excellent for furniture. Tree used as wind break. It also act as a satisfactory fuel.

There is large diversity is found in seedling. So we have to conserve germplasm for breeding. We have made selection for heavy fruit bearing and dwarf trees. In Future superior varieties gained by marcotting, inarching, grafting, budding and cleft grafting will be come common. Budding can be done by patch or shield method. The clonial tree yield is the same but tree become dwarf.
Syzygium Cumini (L.) as an Agro-forestry Plant in Sindh-Pakistan

Introduction

Various names of Syzygium cumininii.

These names are Jamblan-plum; Java plum; pamam plum; Baluw Jantje; Jambo longue; Jame longue; Jamelonier; Tetenegresse; Jambolanabaum; Kummelmgrte; Jamelao; Jambolan,; Jambolanum; Myrtus cumminii; Black plum; Dubat; and Jambolan.

The Syzygium Cumini not only found in Pakistan, but is also found in India, Sri-Lanka, Africa, Israel, Thailand, Philippines, West Indies, Malaysia, Australia, tropics and sub-tropics. Jamon is rapidly growing tree and reaches up to 10-20 meters high. It having chromosome number 2n=40> it also
has varieties: Ra Jamun; Farenda; Kathe jamun; Paras Tree is ever green. The leaves have very small petiole.

Growth and Development

After sowing seed it germinates within 15 days. In 7-8th year it start flowering. At Panhwar Fruit Farm we used grafted or budded trees and we get flowers with 3-4 years. The Jamon tree remains productive upto the age of 30-35 years.

Propagation

It can be done from seed, cuttings, grafting and budding and cuttings. If propagated through seeds, these are planted in the month of July-to-August. The planting distance we used is 10-12 cm.

The cuttings is 20-25 cm and these are dipped in to 2000 ppm IBA solution. For air-laying 500 ppm IBA in lanolin past in used. This way success is 60%. The inarching propagation is not done commercially. Budding, shield, patch are successful in early May to June.

Soil

In Sindh soil is silty loam, but it is also grown in all types of soils. It can also stand salinity and water-logging condition.

Irrigation

It requires 8-10 light irrigation during early age of plant growth. Some people stop water from February to March causing stress and getting more flowers. Our experience is that if, we stop water, heavy fruiting is heavy but and tree does not becomes shy bearer in the next year and alternating habit sets in.

Fertiliser

We supply 50-60 kg FYM/plant/year during bearing stage. Actual nitrogen requirement per tree is about 400-500 grams with equal dose of potash and phosphate.


Pruning and Training

It needs high temperature for proper maturation of fruit. Tree does not need any pruning or training. Fruit and flower drop can be reduced by two GA3 sprays at 60 ppm. About 20-50% of the seeds are polyembryonics. In order to get proper fruit we use root-pruning, although other in places girdling is equally successful.


Fruit

It fruits are good source of mineral, and protein, and it provide 277 KJ/100g energy. In Sindh full blooms comes around 10th March and harvest around 15-30th June. Fruit colour is light purple to black violet. The edible flesh inside the fruit is crisp, succulent, slightly aromatic.

Harvesting

All the fruits do not ripen simultaneously and therefore harvest season is about 2 weeks. Harvesting is done daily in the morning and fruit sent to the market the same day as its keeping quality at ambient temperature is poor. Since the ripening fruit falls to the ground it crushed and destroyed so harvesting is done by trained staff twice a day.

Yield

The yield of well established tree is 3-4 maunds or 120-160 kgs per tree but the average for a mature seedling tree is 80-100 kgs and for budded trees 60-70 kgs. Jamon with with rose plants as inter crop shades the letter, but enormous organic matter seedlings etc., provide fertilizing value to roses, so their yield is more than normal. Although older trees shade lower part of the canopy and reduce flowering and fruit set.

Post-harvest

It can be stored 2-3 days under ambient temperature. It can be store at 9±1°C and RH 85-90% for 3 weeks if pre-cooled.

Pest and Diseases

• White fly (Dialeurodes eugenia) produces wormy appearance on fruit, it can be control by digging soil around the tree to kill maggots and pupae.

• Leaf eating caterpillars (Carea subtilis). It is cured by the spray of 0.1% Malathion.

• Anthracnose (Glomerella Cingulata). Fruits show water soaked circular and depressed lesions and shrivel and rot. It can be controlled by Boreaux mixture at 0.5:0.5:100 litres.

• Fruit fly is controlled by Laures sprays.

• 100 grams fruit supply 77 calories and is a good source of potassium, carbohydrates and minerals.

Uses

Fruit is eaten fresh but also be processed into beverages, jelly, jam, squash, wine, vinegar and pickles. Jambolan wine is produce commercially in the Philippines. Seeds powder is used for treating diabetics, dysentery, diarrhoea and other ailments.

Twigs are used as firewood, leaves are used as fodder. Tree act as a wind break. The Jambolan wood resemble with Teak wood and excellent for furniture making. It also acts as satisfactory fuel. Its wood is also used for railway sleeper being strong and tolerant to insect and fungal attack. Wood is used for beams, rafters, posts bridges, boat, masts, cart wheel and foundation frames as it resists action of water.


Conclusion

We have to consider Jamon as an Agroforestry Industry and conserve its germplasm for evolving better varieties suiting to local conditions with good fruit post-harvest life, and
better quality of wood production.

References

1) Bose, T.K., and Mitra, S.K., Fruits: Tropical and Subtropical; Naya Prokash; 1990; 838 p.

2) Chundawat B.S, Arid Fruit Culture; Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., Pvt, Ltd, 1990; 208 p.

3) Ginai Muhammad Asghar, A Treatise on Horticulture; Bureau of Agriculture Information, Department of Agriculture, Government of West Pakistan, Lahore, 1968, 538 p.

4) Julia F. Morton; Fruits of warm climate; Creative Resource Systems, Inc., 1987; 505 p.

5) Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Economic Wing, Government of Pakistan, Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 1994-95, Islamabad.

6) Santapau, H. Dr., Common Trees, National Book Trust, |India; 1981; 118 p.

7) Singh, V.B., Fruits of Ne Region; Wiley Eastern Limited, 1990, 194 p.
8) Singh, S.P., Fruit crops for Wasteland; Scientific Publishers, 1992; 227 p.

9) Tankard Glenn; Tropical Fruits, An Australian Guide to Growing and Using Exotic Fruits; Viking O’Neil, 1990; 152 p.

10) Verheiji and Coronel, R.E., (Editors), Plant Resources of South-East Asia, No.2; Edible Fruits and Nuts, Pudoc Wageningen 1991; 446 p.


Author: Farzana Panhwar (Mrs)
Address: 157-C, Unit No.2, Latifabad, Hyderabad
(Sindh), Pakistan.
E-mail: farzanapanhwar@hotmail.com
Farzanapanhwar@yahoo.com
Fax: 92-21-5830826 and 92-221-860410