Bael & Wood Apple | Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production (HOR-MA201) - Unit 5 Notes - Chapter 20 (Minor Fruits)

Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production

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

UNIT V: Minor fruits- mangosteen, carambola, bael, wood apple, fig, jamun, Rambutan, pomegranate

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 20 - Bael & Wood Apple

🟤 BAEL (Aegle marmelos L. Corr.)

Family: Rutaceae
Common name: Bengal quince, Stone apple
Origin: India & Southeast Asia
Chromosome number: 2n = 18

🔹 1. Commercial Varieties (Regional, National, International)

India is the main growing country for Bael. Important selections:

• NB-5, NB-9, NB-16 – Selected at Narendra Dev University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad
• Pant Aparna – GBPUAT, Pantnagar (early maturing, thin rind, high pulp)
• Pant Sujata – High TSS, low fiber
• Narendra Bael-5, -9, -16 – Higher yield, better processing quality
• CISH-B1, CISH-B2 – Selections from CISH, Lucknow
• No major international cultivars — mainly regional importance

🔹 2. Ecophysiological Requirements

• Climate: Subtropical and arid-tropical
  
• Temperature: Tolerates extremes (up to 47°C and frost to -5°C)
  
• Rainfall: 600–800 mm; very drought tolerant
  
• Soil: Alluvial, marginal, light-textured, stony or clayey soils
  
• pH: Tolerant of a wide pH range (5.5 to 8.5), grows in alkaline soils

🔹 3. Propagation & Rootstock Influence

• Seed propagation: Common, but variable progeny
  
• Vegetative propagation:
  
• Ring budding, softwood grafting, and air layering most common
  
• Rootstock: Seedlings of Bael itself or Aegle marmelos wild types
  
• Softwood grafting (June–July) gives good success
• Tissue culture under trial

🔹 4. Planting System

• Spacing: 8 × 8 m or 6 × 6 m
  
• Pit size: 1 × 1 × 1 m filled with FYM (15–20 kg), sand, neem cake
  
• Time: Monsoon or spring season planting preferred
  
• Training: Central leader system

🔹 5. Cropping Systems, Canopy & Root Zone Management

• Grown as a monocrop or with ber, aonla, drumstick
  
• Minimal canopy management needed
• Pruning: Done after fruiting to remove dead/diseased branches
  
• Well-developed taproot → deep irrigation & mulching helps

🔹 6. Nutrient Management

• FYM: 15–20 kg/tree/year
• Fertilizers (per mature tree/year):
• N: 400–500 g
• P₂O₅: 300 g
• K₂O: 300 g
• Apply in 2 splits: Pre-monsoon & post-monsoon
• Micronutrients: Zn & B sprays may be beneficial for fruit set

🔹 7. Water Management & Fertigation\

• Extremely drought tolerant
• Needs irrigation during fruit development (Nov–March)
• Water stress reduces fruit size and pulp content
• Fertigation not widely practiced; some trials with drip systems show promise

🔹 8. Bioregulation

• NAA @ 20–30 ppm: Reduces fruit drop
• GA₃ @ 50 ppm: May enhance flowering
• Ethephon/ethrel: Used to regulate maturity in processing orchards

🔹 9. Flowering, Fruit Set & Development

• Flowering: March–May (in North India)
• Pollination: Entomophilous (bees); protandrous flowers
• Fruit set: Low (25–35%)
• Fruit development: 8–10 months from flowering
• Fruit is climacteric

🔹 10. Abiotic Factors Limiting Production

Factor	Impact
Waterlogging	Root rot, defoliation
Excessive drought	Fruit drop
Frost (young plants)	Tip burning

🔹 11. Physiological Disorders

Disorder	Cause	Remedy
Fruit drop	Nutrient/water stress	Irrigation, NAA spray
Gum oozing	Excess heat or wounding	Prune and apply fungicide
Cracking	Sudden rain after dry spells	Mulching, regulated irrigation

🔹 12. Quality Improvement by Management

• Proper water schedule during fruit growth
• Use of elite varieties with high pulp and low fiber
• GA₃ and NAA sprays improve fruit size and retention
• Boron spray enhances fruit quality

🔹 13. Maturity Indices, Harvesting & Post-Harvest Handling

• Maturity: Fruit becomes yellowish-green, hard shell develops cracks when ripe
• Harvest: Jan–April (depending on region), once a year
• Yield: 200–400 fruits/tree/year in mature trees
• Grading: Based on size, weight, shell thickness
• Storage: Ambient storage for 1–2 weeks
• Precooling: Not commonly used
• Processing: Pulp is extracted for squash, syrup, powder
• Packing: Gunny bags or cardboard boxes

🔹 14. Industrial & Export Potential

• High in tannins, mucilage, pectin, vitamins A & C
• Major use in ayurvedic & herbal products
• Industrial products: Syrup, candy, squash, dried pulp
• Export: Minimal; potential for processed pulp and powders
• AEZ: None specifically for bael; promoted under medicinal and indigenous fruit sectors
• Promoted by KVKs and ICAR for farmer diversification

🟤 WOOD APPLE (Limonia acidissima or Feronia limonia)

Family: Rutaceae
Common names: Kaitha, Elephant apple, Monkey fruit
Origin: India and Sri Lanka
Chromosome number: 2n = 18

🔹 1. Commercial Varieties (Regional, National, International)

Wood apple is largely a semi-wild, underutilized fruit; standardized varieties are limited. However, a few selections have been made: NRCC-WA-1 & WA-2 (from ICAR-NRCC, Nagpur) – Soft pulp, good aroma, better processing quality

• KAITHA-1 (Odisha)
• Local selections from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan used by processing units
• No named international varieties—mostly used locally in Southeast Asia

🔹 2. Ecophysiological Requirements

• Climate: Hot arid and semi-arid climates
• Temperature: 25–40°C; tolerant to extreme heat and drought
• Rainfall: 500–1000 mm annually
• Soil: Poor, marginal, rocky, or sandy loam soils
• pH: 5.5–8.5; tolerates alkaline and saline soils
• Hardy tree: Suited for rainfed and wasteland areas

🔹 3. Propagation & Rootstock Influence

• Seed propagation: Common but variable progeny
• Vegetative methods:
• Softwood grafting (best method)
• T-budding, air layering
• Grafting on 8–10-month-old seedling rootstocks shows good success
• Rootstock: Own seedlings or wild wood apple

🔹 4. Planting System

• Spacing: 8 × 8 m or 10 × 10 m
• Pit size: 1 × 1 × 1 m filled with FYM and soil mixture
• Planting time: June–July (monsoon)
• Training: Central leader system; single-stem till 1.2 m, then open canopy

🔹 5. Cropping Systems, Canopy & Root Zone Management

• Grown as monocrop or with arid fruits like ber, bael, custard apple
• Training & pruning essential in juvenile phase
• Mature trees require light pruning of dried/diseased wood
• Deep taproot system → suitable for dryland horticulture

🔹 6. Nutrient Management

• FYM: 10–15 kg/tree/year (increase with age)
• Fertilizers:
• N: 250–300 g
• P₂O₅: 150 g
• K₂O: 150–200 g
• Apply in 2 splits (before monsoon and after fruit set)
• Micronutrient spray (Zn, Fe, B) beneficial in poor soils

🔹 7. Water Management & Fertigation

• Drought-tolerant; minimal irrigation needed
• Irrigation during flowering and fruit development improves yield
• Young trees need regular watering for 2–3 years
• Drip irrigation useful in marginal lands
• Fertigation trials are limited but promising in arid zones

🔹 8. Bioregulation

• Use of NAA @ 20–40 ppm: Reduces fruit drop
• GA₃ @ 50 ppm: Promotes flowering and fruit growth
• Ethrel (100 ppm): Sometimes used for synchronized ripening

🔹 9. Flowering, Fruit Set & Development

• Flowering: April–May (in peninsular India); late in North
• Pollination: Entomophilous (bees, wasps); partially self-compatible
• Fruit set: 30–40%
• Development: 9–11 months to maturity
• Fruit type: Berry with hard shell; climacteric ripening

🔹 10. Abiotic Factors Limiting Production

Factor	Impact
Drought (young plants)	Growth retardation
Waterlogging	Root rot
Frost	Affects new shoots

🔹 11. Physiological Disorders – Causes & Remedies

Disorder	Cause	Remedy
Fruit drop	Moisture stress	Irrigation + NAA spray
Cracking	Sudden rain after drought	Mulching, regulated watering
Poor pulp quality	Nutrient stress	Balanced NPK + micronutrients

🔹 12. Quality Improvement by Management

• Use of elite selections with soft pulp and less fiber
• Balanced nutrition and moisture conservation
• Timely application of bioregulators like NAA
• Regular training to improve canopy structure and light interception

🔹 13. Maturity Indices, Harvesting & Post-Harvest Handling

• Maturity: Yellowing of fruit surface, aromatic smell, loosening of shell
• Harvesting: Jan–April depending on region
• Yield: 100–200 fruits/tree/year (8–12 kg pulp)
• Grading: Based on size and shape
• Storage: Ambient temp for 7–10 days
• Precooling: Not used traditionally
• Packing: Bamboo baskets or cardboard boxes
• Processing: Pulp used in chutney, jelly, toffee, beverages

🔹 14. Industrial & Export Potential

• Rich in pectin, protein, vitamins (esp. B1, B2), minerals
• Widely used in traditional medicine
• Commercially processed into:
• Wood apple chutney
• Pulp-based drinks
• Jelly & candy
• Limited export; some scope in ethnic & ayurvedic product markets
• No dedicated AEZ, but promoted under tribal horticulture programs
• Value addition promoted by ICAR, KVKs, and self-help groups

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