Annonaceous fruits
Edible fruits of genus Annona are collectively known as annonaceous fruits.
Of the 40 genera of the Annonacae family, genus Annona has 120 species, 6 of them having pomological significance. Annona fruits are syncarpia formed by fusion of pistil and receptacle into a large fleshy aggregate fruit. Annonaceous fruits have morphological affinity for each other but each type is unique in its taste, flavour, pulp colour and texture. The edible annonas have important features which are given in Table 1.
Table 1. Edible annonas and their fruit characters
Botanical name English name Indian names Plant habit Fruit characters
A. squamosa Custard-apple,sweet sop andsugar apple Sitaphal,sharifa, ataattichakka and atakatal Woody, semi-deciduous Medium-sized fruits (250–300g); globular; green skin; conspicuous reticulation on fruit surface, areoles tubercu late, sweet, non-acidic, often creamy-white, good quality, sweet pulp; 20% sugar; distinct segments; 60–80 seeds/fruit
A. reticulata Bullock's heart,bull's heart and West Indian custard-apple Ramphalnona,anta, lavani and Krishna-beejam Semi-deciduous,reaching67m in height Fruits larger than custard-apple (350–400g); heart-shaped; yellowish-red; smooth rind with hexagonal markings; pulp pale, gritty, delicately flavoured and not much appealing; 12.5% sugars; and fewer seeds (30–40)
A.cherimola Cherimoyaand cherimoyer Hanumaan-phal Semi-deciduous tree reaching to a height of 8m Medium-sized fruits (250–300g); sub-globose; faintly demarcated areoles; pale-green when ripe; less gritty, buttery, sub-acidic, good quality pulp with distinct pine like aroma; 18% sugars, segments almost fused; 10–15 seeds/fruit
A. atemoya Atemoya(A. squamosa×A. cherimola) Lakshmanphal and prithviphalamu Semi-deciduous, large spreading tree, about 5m height Large-sized fruits (500g); globular green, less glossy fruit surface; white smooth pulp is very juicy with excellent sugar: acid blend; large segments; 10–15 seeds/fruit
A. muricata Sour sop and prickly custard-apple Ramphal and mundla sitaphal Evergreen tree,growing 6-8 mhigh Very large fruits (1.5–3kg); heart-shaped; dark green; fruit surface outlined in rhomboidal areas with short, fleshy spines; pulp is white, fibrous, rather woolly, juicy and pleasantly sub-acidic with slight mango like flavour; sugars (11–14%).
A. diversifolia Ilama, low-land white cherimoya and white annona Not popular in India Slendar tree up to 8 m in height Fruits resemble custard- apply/cherimoya; pulp quality good and highly acceptable
Among annonaceous fruits, custard-apple is the most favourite in India. Its plants come up unattended in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu as a scrub or hedge plant. Of late, custard apple has gained commercial significance and exclusive orchards are emerging in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Other annonas are cultivated on a limited scale. Bullock’s heart is more commonly found in south India than in north India. It is usually associated with gardens and compounds and not commercial orchards. Cherimoya is mostly restricted to Assam and hills of south India. Atemoya and sour sop are cultivated in some gardens as miscellaneous fruits. Atemoya, cherimoya and ilama also provide excellent opportunities for a large-scale exploitation in India.
Edible fruits of genus Annona are collectively known as annonaceous fruits.
Of the 40 genera of the Annonacae family, genus Annona has 120 species, 6 of them having pomological significance. Annona fruits are syncarpia formed by fusion of pistil and receptacle into a large fleshy aggregate fruit. Annonaceous fruits have morphological affinity for each other but each type is unique in its taste, flavour, pulp colour and texture. The edible annonas have important features which are given in Table 1.
Table 1. Edible annonas and their fruit characters
Botanical name English name Indian names Plant habit Fruit characters
A. squamosa Custard-apple,sweet sop andsugar apple Sitaphal,sharifa, ataattichakka and atakatal Woody, semi-deciduous Medium-sized fruits (250–300g); globular; green skin; conspicuous reticulation on fruit surface, areoles tubercu late, sweet, non-acidic, often creamy-white, good quality, sweet pulp; 20% sugar; distinct segments; 60–80 seeds/fruit
A. reticulata Bullock's heart,bull's heart and West Indian custard-apple Ramphalnona,anta, lavani and Krishna-beejam Semi-deciduous,reaching67m in height Fruits larger than custard-apple (350–400g); heart-shaped; yellowish-red; smooth rind with hexagonal markings; pulp pale, gritty, delicately flavoured and not much appealing; 12.5% sugars; and fewer seeds (30–40)
A.cherimola Cherimoyaand cherimoyer Hanumaan-phal Semi-deciduous tree reaching to a height of 8m Medium-sized fruits (250–300g); sub-globose; faintly demarcated areoles; pale-green when ripe; less gritty, buttery, sub-acidic, good quality pulp with distinct pine like aroma; 18% sugars, segments almost fused; 10–15 seeds/fruit
A. atemoya Atemoya(A. squamosa×A. cherimola) Lakshmanphal and prithviphalamu Semi-deciduous, large spreading tree, about 5m height Large-sized fruits (500g); globular green, less glossy fruit surface; white smooth pulp is very juicy with excellent sugar: acid blend; large segments; 10–15 seeds/fruit
A. muricata Sour sop and prickly custard-apple Ramphal and mundla sitaphal Evergreen tree,growing 6-8 mhigh Very large fruits (1.5–3kg); heart-shaped; dark green; fruit surface outlined in rhomboidal areas with short, fleshy spines; pulp is white, fibrous, rather woolly, juicy and pleasantly sub-acidic with slight mango like flavour; sugars (11–14%).
A. diversifolia Ilama, low-land white cherimoya and white annona Not popular in India Slendar tree up to 8 m in height Fruits resemble custard- apply/cherimoya; pulp quality good and highly acceptable
Among annonaceous fruits, custard-apple is the most favourite in India. Its plants come up unattended in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu as a scrub or hedge plant. Of late, custard apple has gained commercial significance and exclusive orchards are emerging in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Other annonas are cultivated on a limited scale. Bullock’s heart is more commonly found in south India than in north India. It is usually associated with gardens and compounds and not commercial orchards. Cherimoya is mostly restricted to Assam and hills of south India. Atemoya and sour sop are cultivated in some gardens as miscellaneous fruits. Atemoya, cherimoya and ilama also provide excellent opportunities for a large-scale exploitation in India.
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