Custard Apple Farming Project Report (Sitaphal), Profits

Custard Apple Farming Project Report (Sitaphal), Profits

Introduction To Custard Apple Farming Project Report

The following information details Custard Apple Farming Project Report or Sitaphal Cultivation Practices.

Custard Apple is a fruit from a small deciduous, semi-evergreen plant belonging to the Annonaceae family. The tree is mostly found in sub-tropical regions of the world and there are about 2000 plants all over the world that belong to this group. Custard apple is considered to be a native of the West Indies, but it has long been cultivated in Peru and Brazil. This tree is commonly found in the Bahamas and sometimes it is seen growing in Bermuda and southern Florida. One can find custard apple trees being cultivated in India, South Africa, some regions of South Asia, and the Philippines. Custard apple is addressed with different names such as wild-sweetsop, bull’s heart, bullock’s heart, or ox heart. This tree is not very attractive in nature but bears fruits with a nice flavor. In India, it is known as ‘Sitaphal’ and it is estimated that around fifty-five thousand hectares of land are dedicated to custard apple cultivation in India. The major custard apple-growing states are Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra, Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. The popularity of the fruit in the country has contributed to the increase in the area of production and is likely to increase further. The focus is being shifted to cultivate quality fruit for export such that there could be a possibility of higher income. Support from Horticulture Board and other agricultural departments could give a boost to the farmers for increasing the production on their farms.

Plant and properties of Custard Apple

The tree is erect and has a trunk of 25-35 cm thickness with a spreading crown. The average height of the tree is between 4.5 to 10 m. The leaves of the tree smell weird and are deciduous in nature. They have an oblong shape with a length of 10-20 cm and a width of a maximum of 5 cm. The leaves have conspicuous veins and are arranged alternately on the stem. Flowers of the plant can be found in clusters; they are slender and have rich fragrance. The petals are 2-3 cm long with pale yellow color on the inside having red or purple spots and light green on the outside.

The fruit is 8-16 cm in diameter and looks like a heart. It is lopsided, irregular, or oblate having depression at the base. The skin of the fruit is thin, but rough in texture and turns brownish or yellow when ripe. The inside of the fruit contains a thick creamy granular layer of flesh in the form of juicy segments with a single hard, black and glossy seed. A fibrous central core extends halfway through the fruit and is attached to the stem. A single fruit may contain 50 seeds on average.

Balanagar

• It is a local variety native to Mahaboobnagar District of Andhra Pradesh.
• The fruit quality is good.
• Plenty of pulp.
• Large fruits that are tuber less.

Washington

• The color of the fruit is greenish-white.
• The tree has a sparse bearing.

British Guinea

• Trees bear large fruits that are greenish-white in color.
• Contains a few seeds and has good quality.
• Fruits don’t spoil even after a week of ripening.

Pink’s Mammoth

• It is also from Australia.
• Fruits are large, ovoid, pulpy, delicious, greenish pink in color with a smooth surface.
• The quality is good but bears fewer fruits.
• The shape of the fruits is irregular.

Atemoya

• It is a hybrid variety and is produced by the cross of Sitaphal and cherimoya.
• The height of the tree ranges between 5 to 6 m.
• Planting distance is 7 x 7 m.
• Fruits when ripe are whitish-green in color.
• The flesh is pulpy with an acidic flavor.
• Contains fewer seeds.
• The fruit quality can be retained for 10 days under normal conditions.
• The bearing of fruit is erratic.
• While cultivating this variety, it is expected to plant a custard apple tree for every 8 or 10 Atemoya plants to encourage pollination.
• Fruits are generally harvested from October to December.

Manure and fertilizer requirements of Custard Apple Trees

If the custard apple plants are being rained, then no manures or fertilizers are applied. For having an early harvest or for creating a good quality harvest, the following fertilizers could be applied to a completely grown tree:

• 10 kg of bio meal during planting.
• Ormichem micronutrient mixture @ 0.250 kg during flowering and another dose of 10: 26: 26 mixture during fruit set.
• 10 g/l of 8: 12: 24: 4 foliar spray is used twice during fruit set.
• The plant while bearing season needs 250 g of N, 125 g of potassium, and phosphorous.
• As the plant attains 5 years, it should be fertilized with 450 g of N, P₂O₅, and K₂O.

Irrigation requirement for Custard Apple Orchard

The soil should have uniform moisture content throughout the fruit set and development period such that high yield could be obtained and there would be no problems like fruit splitting. Irrigation is extremely important to have good quality fruit from the plant. Care should be taken such that the salinity in the water doesn’t exceed 800 µS/cm. One hectare of custard apple farm may need 5 megaliters of water during the entire year. When the plant starts flowering, irrigation should be supplied till regular monsoon sets in. Drip systems, flood, or mist sprinkler systems could be used to improve flowering and fruit sets. Mist sprinkler is a highly preferred irrigation technique because it keeps the temperature low and increases the humidity. If irrigation is provided during fruit development then it improves the size and quality of the fruit.