SAPOTA
SAPOTA
(Manilkara zopota/M.achras/ Achras sapota;
Sapotaceae ; 2n=26)
In India, Sapota cultivation was taken up for the first time in
Maharashtra in 1898 in a village named Gholkward.
India is considered to be the largest producer of sapota in the
world though.
Sapota is considered to be a minor crop in India (65,000ha+5.7
lakh tones).
In India, Sapota is commercially grown in Karnataka, Gujarat, AP,
WB, Maharastra and TN.
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IMPORTANCE AND USES:
Sapota is good source of sugars, protein, fat, fiber and minerals (Ca, P,
Fe).
Sapota is a delicious dessert fruit.
The latex from stems and immature fruits (chickle) is used in the
preparation of chewing gum.
Fruits can be dried and made into nutritious powder which can be used
in Milk shakes and sweets.
In countries (Indonesia) young leafy shoots are used in salads or as
vegetable.
Sapota is supposed to be medicinal also seeds as diuretic, bark as tonic,
antipyretic, febrifuge and in curing biliousness and febrile attacks.
ORIGIN AND
DISTRIBUTION
Sapota is native of tropical America and is
believed to have originated in South Mexico or
Central America.
Cultivated in West Indies, Philippines, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Srilanka and India.
Climate and soil
Sapota is a tropical fruit and can be grown up to 1200m.
But at higher altitudes and in subtropics it produces only one
crop an year with reduction in quality and quantity.
Annual rainfalls 125-250cm are best.
Optimum temperature range is 11ºC to 34ºC.
High temperature 41ºC causes drying of stigmatic surface.
Dry and strong winds also damage Sapota.
Sapota can be grown in a wide variety of soils.
Deep Sandy loams or alluvial soils or medium black soils are best.
Calcareous soils (pH 6-8) give good crops of Sapota.
Species, types and
cultivars:
Sapota cultivars are grouped into 4 types based on nature of
branches and colour of foliage as follows.
1. Trees with erect growing habit: Branches appearing
in whorls, leafy dark green, broad and oval, fruits
large and superior.
2. Trees with drooping habit: Branches in whorls,
leaves light green narrow and elliptical, fruit small,
inferior.
3. Trees with spreading habit: Branches irregular,
leaves dark green, broad and oval, fruits medium to
Sapota cv. Kalipatti
(Oval Shape)
Sapota cv. Cricketball
(Round Shape)
CULTIVARS
Kalipatti
Chhatri:
Dhola Diwani
Pala
Kirthibarthi
Dwarapudi
Cricket ball
Vanivalasa
Calcatta
Round
Baramasi
Pot Sapota
Thagarampu
di
PROPAGATION
Commercially propagated by grafting on Rayan or khirni (Manilkara hexandra)
rootstocks.
Other root stocks used are:
1.Sapota seedlings 2.Adams apple (Manilkara kauki),
3.Mahua (Bassia latifolia), 4. Mee Tree (Bassia longifolia),
5. Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) and 6. Miracular fruit (Sideroxylon
dulcificum)
Approach grafting during February (Jan-March) and soft wood grafting during: May-
July ; Air layering using 10,000PPM (IBA+NAA) gives good rooting;
Budding during May also gives success.
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Grafting)
PLANTING
Spacing is 8-10m; 1m cube pits are dug. Pits are to be
filled with mixture of FYM and soils with 1.2 kg of
bone meal.
High density planting with 5m x 5m spacing improves
yield.
It is better to have a wind break around the Sapota
orchard.
Best season is monsoon season.
Manuring
Bearing tree of 11 years is given 400g N, 260g P and
450g K per year in addition to 40 kg FYM and graded
doses are applied from the beginning according to the
growth of the plant.
Application of more N is reported to increase the yield.
Manuring should be done in 2 spilt doses coinciding
with the monsoon.
Irrigation
Sapota can tolerate drought to some extent but
irrigations help in improving the yield.
Regular irrigations should be given from planting till
the plant establishes well.
Later irrigations may be according to need and soil
and weather conditions.
Insufficient irrigations result in dropping of flowers.
Drip irrigation can be more useful.
Intercultural Operations
Intercrops like banana, papaya, leguminous
vegetables can be grown profitably during the pre-
bearing period.
Weeding should be regular.
Spraying SADH (succinic acid-2, 2-
dimethylhydrazide)100ppm gives good fruit set and
(Planofix) NAA 300ppm gives fruit retention.
Sprayings are done twice before flowering and again
at pea stage.
Training and Pruning
Better to remove the lower most branches
on the trunk up to 60-90cm as they will be
touching the ground and mostly
unproductive.
Stock sports should be removed from time
to time.
No regular pruning is needed for Sapota
since it has a mixed type of bearing and
flowers and fruits are borne on leaf axils.
Harvesting and yield
Sapota may start bearing 2nd or 3rd year but commercial
yield can be obtained from 7th year onwards.
Sapota takes about 7-10 months from fruit set to
maturity depending upon the cultivar season and locality.
Best symptoms of maturity are;
1. Milky latex on scratching will be reduced &
shows an yellow streak than green streak.
2. Brown scaly material gets reduced.
3. Dried stigma at the tip of the fruit drops easily.
4. Develops dull orange or potato colour.
Harvesting and yield
Fruits should be harvested with stalk intact. (From flowering to
fruiting= 4 months)
Peak harvesting periods are Jan-Feb and May-June in Maharashtra
and March-May and Sept-October in Karnataka and AP.
Sapota normally produces fruit throughout the year.
YIELD: 03 year old plants gives 100 fruits; 5 year-250 fruits;
7 year-700, fruits; 8 year-800 fruits;
10 year- 1000 fruits; 11 year-1500 fruits; 15 year-
2000 fruits; 30year-2500-3000 fruits/plant/year.
Large sized cultivars like Cricket ball, Calcutta round give lower
number of fruits but will be sold at higher price. The average yield
is 15-20 ton/ha.
POST-HARVEST HANDLING AND STORAGE
Ripening and storage:
Fruits ripen after harvest in about 4-13 days depending upon
cultivar.
Ripening can be hastened by treating with ethrel (250-750ppm).
Between 12-14C fruits ripen slowly and keep well for about 5
weeks
Ripe fruits can be stored at 2-3C and 85-90% RH for 6 weeks and
firm fruits for 8 weeks at 3 to 5C and 85-95% RH.
Pests and Diseases:-
Pests
Stem borer (Isocrata tetraonis)
Leaf minor
Mealy bug
Scale insects: (Pulvinaria psidil)
Fruit borer (Virachola isocrates)
Diseases:
Leaf spot (Phoecophleospora
indica)
Sooty mould
Physiological Disorder
Fruit drop: Sapota has the problem of low fruit
setting and shedding. Only about 10-12 per cent
of the total fruits set, develop and retained until
maturity. Most of the fruit-drop occurs
immediately after fruit setting. Increase in
fruitset and retention are possible by spraying
NAA and GA3 at 25 to 100 ppm during flowering
and at 15-day interval
