Jamun (Syzygium cuminii) is indigenous to India. Its tree is tall and ever-green. It is generally grown as avenue or as wind break. It is widely grown from Indo-Gangetic plains in north to Tamil Nadu in south. It is also found in the lower range of the Himalayas and Kumaon hills.
The refreshing and curative properties of jamun make it one of the useful medicinal plants of India. Fruits are a good source of iron, used as an effective medicine against diabetes, heart and liver trouble. The seed powder of jamun reduces the quantity of sugar in the urine very quickly.
Climate and soil
Since jamun is a hardy fruit crop, it can be grown under adverse soil and climatic conditions. It thrives well under both tropical and subtropical climates. It requires dry weather at the time of flowering and fruit setting. Early rains are beneficial for better growth, development and ripening of fruit. Young plants are susceptible to frost.
The jamun trees can be grown on a wide range of soils—calcareous, saline sodic soils and marshy areas. Deep loam and well-drained soils are ideal. It does not prefer very heavy and light sandy soils.
Varieties
There is no improved variety for commercial cultivation. The most common type grown in north India is known as Rajamun. This is large-fruited type having oblong fruits of deep purple colour. A type having large-sized fruits is known as ‘Paras’ in Gujarat. Another type found in Varanasi has no seed. A selection known, as Narendra Jamun 6 has been identified with desirable traits at Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh).
Propagation
Jamun is propagated both by seeds and vegetative techniques, the most common being by seeds. The seeds have no dormancy, hence fresh seeds can be sown (within 10–15 days) 4–5cm deep at a distance of 25cm × 15cm. The seeds germinate 10–15 days after sowing. The seedlings become ready for transplanting in spring or next monsoon. Its seeds show polyembrony up to 30–40%, hence nucellar/apomictic seedlings can be used to produce true-to-type plants.
Seedling plants bear fruits of variable size and quality. Therefore, vegetative method is desirable for propagation of improved or selected types. Budding is most successful for commercial raising of plants. It is done on one-year-old rootstock having about 10mm thickness. Patch and forkert methods give more than 70% success if performed in March. In low rainfall area, July–August is ideal time.
Cultivation
Planting
Pits of 1m × 1m × 1m size are dug 10m apart for seedling trees and 8m apart for budded plants in a properly cleaned field. Pit digging should be completed before the onset of the monsoon or spring season. They should be filled with a mixture of top soil and well-rotten farmyard manure or compost in a 3:1 ratio. Monsoon season (July–September) is ideal time of planting. But it can also be planted with a good survival rate in spring (February–March) if irrigation facilities are available. About 100–150 plants are required for planting a hectare land.
The refreshing and curative properties of jamun make it one of the useful medicinal plants of India. Fruits are a good source of iron, used as an effective medicine against diabetes, heart and liver trouble. The seed powder of jamun reduces the quantity of sugar in the urine very quickly.
Climate and soil
Since jamun is a hardy fruit crop, it can be grown under adverse soil and climatic conditions. It thrives well under both tropical and subtropical climates. It requires dry weather at the time of flowering and fruit setting. Early rains are beneficial for better growth, development and ripening of fruit. Young plants are susceptible to frost.
The jamun trees can be grown on a wide range of soils—calcareous, saline sodic soils and marshy areas. Deep loam and well-drained soils are ideal. It does not prefer very heavy and light sandy soils.
Varieties
There is no improved variety for commercial cultivation. The most common type grown in north India is known as Rajamun. This is large-fruited type having oblong fruits of deep purple colour. A type having large-sized fruits is known as ‘Paras’ in Gujarat. Another type found in Varanasi has no seed. A selection known, as Narendra Jamun 6 has been identified with desirable traits at Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh).
Propagation
Jamun is propagated both by seeds and vegetative techniques, the most common being by seeds. The seeds have no dormancy, hence fresh seeds can be sown (within 10–15 days) 4–5cm deep at a distance of 25cm × 15cm. The seeds germinate 10–15 days after sowing. The seedlings become ready for transplanting in spring or next monsoon. Its seeds show polyembrony up to 30–40%, hence nucellar/apomictic seedlings can be used to produce true-to-type plants.
Seedling plants bear fruits of variable size and quality. Therefore, vegetative method is desirable for propagation of improved or selected types. Budding is most successful for commercial raising of plants. It is done on one-year-old rootstock having about 10mm thickness. Patch and forkert methods give more than 70% success if performed in March. In low rainfall area, July–August is ideal time.
Cultivation
Planting
Pits of 1m × 1m × 1m size are dug 10m apart for seedling trees and 8m apart for budded plants in a properly cleaned field. Pit digging should be completed before the onset of the monsoon or spring season. They should be filled with a mixture of top soil and well-rotten farmyard manure or compost in a 3:1 ratio. Monsoon season (July–September) is ideal time of planting. But it can also be planted with a good survival rate in spring (February–March) if irrigation facilities are available. About 100–150 plants are required for planting a hectare land.
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