LOQUAT | Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production (HOR-MA201) - Unit 3 Notes - Chapter 11

Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production

HORMA 201 - M.Sc. (Ag.) Horticulture

UNIT III: Litchi, Loquat, Persimmon, Kiwifruit, Strawberry

Table of Contents Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance, Ecophysiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, rootstock influence, planting systems, cropping systems, root zone and canopy management, nutrient management, water management, fertigation, bioregulation, abiotic factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, fruit set and development, abiotic factors limiting production, physiological disorders-causes and remedies, quality improvement by management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, precooling, storage, transportation and ripening techniques; industrial and export potential, Agri Export Zones(AEZ) and industrial support.

Chapter 11 -

🍊 LOQUAT (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

Family: Rosaceae
Origin: China
Chromosome number: 2n = 34
Type of fruit: Pome
Edible part: Fleshy thalamus and pericarp
Growth habit: Evergreen subtropical tree

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🔹 1. Commercial Varieties of Regional, National & International Importance

Region	Notable Varieties
India	Golden Yellow, Tanaka, Thales, Improved Golden Yellow, Nagpur selection
Pakistan	Surkh, Sufaid
China (origin center)	Dawuxing, Jiefangzhong
Japan	Mogi, Tanaka (imported into India too)
Spain & Israel	Algerie (commercially important)

• Golden Yellow: Early, juicy, medium-sized fruits

• Tanaka: Japanese cultivar, large fruit, late, excellent keeping quality

• Thales: Large size, mid-season

• Nagpur Selection: Indian cultivar, high yield, yellow-orange pulp

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🔹 2. Ecophysiological Requirements

• Climate: Subtropical to mild temperate

• Temperature: 15–25°C ideal; frost-sensitive during flowering

• Chilling requirement: Low; some cultivars tolerate mild winters

• Altitude: Grows well up to 1,500 m asl

• Rainfall: 100–150 cm annually

• Soil: Deep, well-drained loamy soils; pH 5.5–7.5

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🔹 3. Recent Trends in Propagation

• Seed propagation: Common but not true-to-type

• Air layering: Easy and commonly used

• Grafting (inarching or shield budding): On seedling rootstock for varietal multiplication

• Cuttings: Softwood cuttings with IBA (1000–3000 ppm) under mist propagation

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🔹 4. Rootstock Influence

• Generally raised on loquat seedlings

• Pear and quince used experimentally but show incompatibility

• Some success reported with Japanese seedling rootstocks

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🔹 5. Planting Systems

• Spacing: 6 × 6 m (traditional); 4 × 4 m (high-density)

• Pit size: 1 × 1 × 1 m with FYM

• Planting season: July–August (monsoon) or Feb–March (spring)

• Training: Modified central leader system

• Pruning: Minimal; remove crossing and diseased branches

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🔹 6. Cropping Systems

• Pure planting is common

• Intercropping possible in initial 3–4 years with legumes/vegetables

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🔹 7. Root Zone & Canopy Management

• Shallow root system – sensitive to drought

• Mulching helps retain moisture

• Light pruning encourages better light penetration and fruiting

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🔹 8. Nutrient Management

Age (Years)	FYM (kg/tree)	N (g)	P (g)	K (g)
1–2	10–20	150	100	100
5+	40–50	400–500	300	300

• N application split: half before flowering, half post fruit set

• Foliar sprays of micronutrients (Zn, B) improve fruit quality

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🔹 9. Water Management

• Regular irrigation needed during fruit development (Jan–March)

• Drought during fruit set causes fruit drop

• Avoid excess irrigation during ripening (may reduce sweetness)

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🔹 10. Fertigation

• Not commonly practiced but beneficial in high-density orchards

• Use of water-soluble NPK with drip enhances early growth and fruiting

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🔹 11. Bioregulation

• NAA (20–30 ppm): Reduces fruit drop

• GA₃ (25 ppm): Promotes fruit elongation

• Boron: Essential for pollen germination and fruit set

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🔹 12. Abiotic Factors Limiting Fruit Production

• Frost: Damages flowers and young fruits

• Drought: Fruit drop and poor development

• Excess rain during flowering: Hampers pollination

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🔹 13. Physiology of Flowering, Fruit Set & Development

• Flowering season: Oct–Dec (in India)

• Pollination: Mainly self-pollinated, some cross-pollination via bees

• Fruit development: ~90 days after flowering

• Fruit drop: Common after initial set

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🔹 14. Physiological Disorders – Causes & Remedies

Disorder	Cause	Remedy
Fruit drop	Poor pollination, water stress	NAA spray, irrigation during fruit set
Sunscald	Exposure to sun in ripening stage	Light pruning to avoid overexposure
Poor fruit size	Overbearing or nutrient deficiency	Thinning and balanced fertilization

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🔹 15. Quality Improvement by Management Practices

• Regular irrigation, balanced fertilization

• Use of growth regulators for fruit retention and size

• Thinning of excessive fruit clusters improves size and quality

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🔹 16. Maturity Indices

• Fruit color turns from green to yellow-orange

• TSS: 10–14 °Brix

• Harvested in March–April (North India)

• Hand-picked to avoid bruising

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🔹 17. Harvesting, Grading, Packing

• Harvest in clusters with short pedicel

• Graded based on size and skin color

• Packed in small ventilated cardboard boxes or baskets

• Paper lining helps reduce bruising

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🔹 18. Precooling, Storage & Transportation

• Precooling: 10°C immediately after harvest

• Shelf life: 7–10 days at 5°C, 85–90% RH

• Transport in ventilated boxes; avoid stacking

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🔹 19. Ripening Techniques

• Loquat is a non-climacteric fruit – must be harvested ripe

• No artificial ripening agents used

• Fruits are juicy, sweet–acidic, and ready for consumption post-harvest

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🔹 20. Industrial & Export Potential

• Limited but growing potential

• Processed into jams, jelly, canned fruit, squash

• Exported in small quantities to Middle East & Europe

• High antioxidant & nutritional value increases health appeal

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🔹 21. Agri Export Zones (AEZ) & Industrial Support

• Not a designated AEZ crop yet in India

• Scope exists for branding regional cultivars (e.g., Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand)

• Requires cold chain and packhouse support for market expansion.

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