Jackfruit is mostly considered a wild fruit and is not taken as a commercial crop in India. However, it is the most beneficial fruit in India. Jackfruit cultivation is increasing daily due to market demand and health benefits. It was native to India, but it has spread to tropical regions today. Jackfruit belongs to “Moraceae”. This fruit is grown in parts of Malaysia, Burma and Brazil. In addition, wild jackfruit is grown in the Western Ghats of India. Apart from fresh fruit, it is also used in making some special dishes.
Process of Jackfruit Farming
When you start jackfruit farming, choose the equipment made according to the respective agriculture, which is most important. However, in jackfruit cultivation, you can choose a popular tractor brand. So you should be aware and careful about the equipment involved in farming. You can find the popular tractor price online. Let’s look at the process of jackfruit farming with complete specifications.
Jackfruit Farming – Climate Requirement
Jackfruit is best suitable to grow in warm & arid, humid plains of south India. It thrives well on moist mountain slopes at an altitude of 1400 to 1500 m. However, frost and cold weather damages tree and fruit growth, and areas with such conditions are not suitable for jackfruit cultivation.
Jackfruit Farming – Soil Requirement
Jackfruit trees require well-drained sandy loam soil with a pH value of 6.0 to 7.5. Since jackfruit cultivation does not tolerate waterlogging, a land with good drainage should be selected. Jackfruit cannot tolerate moisture pressure, but the presence of chlorine and lime is somewhat tolerable. Adding organic manure to the soil always helps grow jackfruit trees. The land near the river bed is suitable for the cultivation of jackfruit.
Jackfruit Farming – Land Preparation and Planting
You should prepare the land to make weed-free and fine tilth. On the other hand, you should prepare the soil in such a way that water stagnation should not occur in the facility. A 1 cubic metre sized pit should be dug at a distance of 6 metres, and the topsoil should be filled with 10 to 12 Farmyard Compost (FYM). You should plant the cuttings in the centre of the pits during the period from June to September. Use proper staking to avoid joint breakage. To protect the graft, provide shade from coconut leaves and mulch the valleys.
Jackfruit Farming – Irrigation Requirement
Generally, farmers cultivate the jackfruit under rainfed conditions. There is no specific irrigation schedule, but jackfruit plants require regular watering during the initial 2 to 3 years. These jackfruit trees are sensitive to drought conditions; Therefore, you should do the irrigation in hot, dry weather. You can adopt a ring system for watering these trees. The irrigation frequency always depends on the moisture-holding capacity of the soil and the weather conditions. They do not require water during the rainy season. In case of floods or heavy rains, drain the soil as stagnation of water will affect tree growth and fruit development.
Training in Jackfruit Farming
You should train the jackfruit tree too early. Side branches and single stems have to remove for uniform smooth trunk development for a 1.5 m to 2m height. Lateral branches should be allowed to grow. The flower buds that appear on the trunk of the tree should be kept free from vegetative growth.
Jackfruit Farming – Intercropping and Plant Care
Farmers may consider having intercrops such as legumes or vegetables before the fruiting stage. Mulching can be done by spreading dry leaves to retain moisture and protect the soil from erosion. Once the size of the trunk begins to increase, inflorescences of active female buds develop from the trunk and scaffold branch. If there is no fence in the field, be sure to protect these fruit shoots from any damage caused by livestock (rubbing the body against the trunk). Goats also love the leaves of the jackfruit tree, so the trees must protect from this type.
Jackfruit Farming – Manures and Fertilizers
You should apply the fertilizers during the rainy season (monsoon). In the case of irrigation farming, you should apply as split doses twice a year from June to July and September to October. Fertilizers and manures should be applied in a circular trench 50 cm apart from the tree’s trunk. The following is the program of fertilizers and fertilizers in the cultivation of jackfruit.
Jackfruit Farming – Pests and Diseases
The common pest found in jackfruit cultivation is the “brown weevil” this insect pierces the tender shoots, shoots and fruits. To control this pest, first, destroy fallen shoots and fruit. Then, to chemically control this pest, spray trees with monocrotophos (0.035%). The common disease found in jackfruit cultivation is “fruit rot,” leading to the premature fall of young and tender fruits. It can be controlled by spraying of Bevistin (0.05%) or Phytolan (0.2%), or M.45 (0.2%) at 2 weeks intervals during fruit set or development.
Jackfruit Farming – Harvesting
Jackfruit will be ready for harvesting after 7 years of planting. Grafted jackfruit plants start bearing fruit from the fourth year onwards. In the Singapore jackfruit variety, seedlings grown from seeds begin to bear fruit in the third year. Generally, jackfruits are available in the period from March to June.
Need the Equipment for Jackfruit Farming
When you want to grow something, you need equipment to get a better yield because today, equipment plays a major role in farming. However, farming requires various tools like rotavators, cultivators, tractors and many other types of equipment. The tractor is important among the equipment, and farmers generally use the 4WD tractor in jackfruit cultivation.
For more information regarding Jackfruit farming in India, stay tuned with us.