: Fruits

Fruits

The major fruits grown in India are almonds, apples, bananas, cherries, citrus fruits (new mandarins, mandarin oranges, sweet oranges, Kinnow oranges, Valencia oranges, grape fruit, lime and lemon), grapes, guava, litchi, mango, papaya, pears, pineapple, pomegranate, sapota and walnuts. Fruits and fruit products are available as raw fresh fruits, frozen and cut fruits, dry fruits and nuts (pistachios, hazelnut, chestnut) fresh mixed fruits, processed products such as dehydrated fruits, preserved fruits and other processed fruit products such as candies, fruit pulp, jam, squash etc

APPLE
Apple (Malus pumila) is the most important temperate fruit of India. Apple Fuji, Apple Granny Smith, Apple Indian ( Ambri Kashmiri), Apple Golden Delicious, Apple Red Delicious, Apple Royal Delicious and Apple Washington are some of the major variants available in Indian markets.

Apple: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

ALMOND
Almond (Amygdalus communis) is an important temperate nut fruit of the country and is mostly grown in Jammu and Kashmir, and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh) Almonds are available in Indian markets both as green almonds and dried almonds

Almond: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

APRICOT
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) is an important fruit crop and the fruits are delicious. It is rich in vitamin A and contains more carbohydrates, proteins, phosphorus and niacin than many other common fruits. Besides its use as dessert, it is also canned and dried. Fruit is processed into jam, nectar and squash

Apricot: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

AVOCADO
Avocado or butter fruit (Persea americana).is grown as a backyard tree in India. It is consumed primarily as fresh and is neither sweet nor acidic. The edible pulp has a nutty flavour with a buttery texture. It is reputed as a nourishing food of high dietetic value. Its nutritional vales are comparable to ripe olives with an average of 2.1% protein, 1.32% minerals and 24–26% fat. It is also a good source of potassium, iron and vitamin B. Since the fruit contains not more than 1% sugar, it is recommended as high energy food for diabetics. Its energy value is twice as much as banana fruit. Avocado is eaten fresh on bread or in salads with lemon juice, salt and pepper, but in India people prefer to eat it after mixing the pulp with sugar. Avocado oil is used in preparation of cosmetics.

Avacado: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

FIG
Fig is a highly nutritious fruit. It is rich in calories (269), proteins, and calcium (higher than milk), iron and highest fibre content. Fig has nutritive index of 11, as against 9, 8 and 6 for apple, raisin and date respectively. The chemical composition and flavour of fig varies with the cultivar. The total sugar content of fresh fig is 16% and of dried is 52%. The edible portion of dried fig (100g) supplies protein (4g), carbohydrate (69g), fat (1g), calcium (200mg), iron (4mg), Vitamin A (100iu) and thiamine (0.1mg). Fig is valued for its laxative properties and is used in the treatment of skin infection. The fruits help to maintain acid-alkali balance of the body. Latex is useful to coagulate milk.

Fig: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

POMEGRANATE
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a favourite table fruit in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world..

Pomegranate: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

BAEL
Bael (Aegle marmelos) is an indigenous fruit tree of India. The deciduous tree with trifoliate aromatic leaves is traditionally used as sacred offering to ‘Lord Shiva’. It is commonly planted in temple gardens. Fruit is a hard-shelled berry and very well-known for its medicinal properties due to marmelosin content. Mature fruits as astringent, digestive and stomachic are usually prescribed for diarrhoea and dysentry. The ripe fruit is tonic, restorative, laxative and good for heart and brain.

Bael: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

BANANA
Banana and plantain (Musa sp.) are widely grown in India with great socio-economic significance. It is also a dessert fruit for millions apart from a staple food owing to its rich and easily digestible carbohydrates with a calorific value of 67–137/100g fruit. Being a rich source of vitamin C and minerals, it makes healthy and salt-free diet. India is the largest producer of banana in the world. The major variants available in Indian markets are Banana Red, Banana Yallaki, Banana Chakarakalli, Banana Amrithpani, Banana Rasthali, Banana Hill, Banana Nendran, Banana Karpooravalli, Banana Robusta

Banana: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

BERRIES
Strawberry is a tasty and nutritious fruit with a distinct and pleasant aroma, and delicate flavour. It has a unique place among cultivated berry fruits. Rich in vitamin C and iron, it is mainly consumed as fresh. Jam and syrup are also prepared from strawberry. Other berry fruits available in Indian markets are raspberry and blackberry

Strawberry: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

BER
Ber or Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) fruits are rich in vitamin C, A and B complex. Major variants available in Indian markets are Indian ber and Chinese ber

Ber: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

BREAD FRUIT
Bread fruit (Artocarpus incisa) is used more as a vegetable than as a fruit. It is eaten after cooking and may be boiled, baked, roasted, fried or made into soups. It is usually cooked after peeling and slicing and makes a good delicacy in combination with ingredients like coconut cream or grated coconut meat. Chips and biscuits can be made from it.

Breadfruit: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

CAPE GOOSEBERRY
Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana): Cultivated throughout India for edible fruits; fruits are enclosed in a large persistent calyx; acidic pulp has a pleasant flavour, good source of vitamin C; fruits are eaten fresh and used in jam preparation

CARAMBOLA AND BILIMBI
The acidic nature of the pulp of Carambola or starfruit (Averrhoa carambola) is due to its oxalic acid content. Fruits contain a juicy pulp, which is a good source of vitamin A, B and C together with valuable minerals and iron. Various plant parts of this fruit are credited with medicinal properties, e.g. root extract is used as an antidote for poisoning, and the crushed leaves for curing chicken pox, ring worm and scabies.
A fruit crop akin to carambola, Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi): produces gherkin-like fruits which are used for making pickles and curries due to the presence of high amount of acid (6%) in the pulp, seeds are covered by a fatty layer which contains 6% oxalic acid

Carambola: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

CHERRY
Cherry (Prunus avium) a delicious fruit and is rich in protein, sugars, and minerals. It has more calorific value than apple. The major variants available in Indian markets are Sweet Cherry and Sour Cherry

Cherry: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

OLIVES
Olive (Olea europaea) is extensively used for extraction of oil from its fruits. Its oil is edible, possessing valuable therapeutic property. About 92% of its produce is used for oil extraction.

Olives: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

ANNONACEOUS FRUITS
Edible large fleshy aggregate fruits of genus Annona are collectively known as annonaceous fruits. Major variants of annonaceous fruits are Custard Apple, Bullock’s Heart and Cherimoya.. Annonaceous fruits have morphological affinity for each other but each type is unique in its taste, flavour, pulp colour and texture

LIMES AND LEMONS
Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is the third important fruit after mandarins and sweet oranges. On the other hand, lemons (c. limon) are less popular than limes in India. Besides acid lime, sweet lime (C. limettioides), Tahiti lime (C. latifolia) and Rangpur lime (C. limonia) are also cultivated on a limited scale in India. Sweet lime, indigenous to India, is an important citrus fruit in north India. Tahiti lime grows well in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Rangpur lime is mostly cultivated for rootstock purpose

Limes and Lemons: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

GRAPE
Grape (Vitis vinifera) is a deciduous crop, which is grown for its fruits, which is used as a table fruit and also for preparing wine. The major variants available in Indian markets are Indian grapes, European grapes and American grapes

Grape: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

DATES
Dates(Phoenix dactylifera) are a highly nutritious fruit. It is rich in sugar, iron, potassium, calcium and nicotinic acid. One kg fully ripe fresh dates provide approximately 3,150 calories. The flesh of dates contains 20% moisture, 60–65% sugar, 2.5% fibre, 2% protein and less than 2% each of fat, minerals and pectic substances. Thus, date fruit can help supplement the dietary needs of desert people where very few nutritive foods are available

Dates: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

GUAVA
Guava (Psidium guajava) is a very popular fruit. It is available throughout the year except during the summer season. Its nutritive value is very high. Therefore it is an ideal fruit for the nutritional security. Guava is also grown as a backyard fruit to a great extent.

Guava: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

GOOSEBERRY
Aonla or Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) is an indigenous fruit to Indian subcontinent. Owing to hardy nature, suitability to various wastelands, high productivity/unit area (15–20t/ha), nutritive and therapeutic value aonla have become an important fruit. Its fruits are a rich source of vitamin ‘C’. Aonla fruit is highly valued among indigenous medicines. It is acrid, cooling, refrigerant, diuretic and laxative. Dried fruits have been reported to be useful in haemorrhages, diarrhoea, dysentery, anaemia, jaundice, dyspepsia and cough. Trifla and chavanprash are well-known indigenous medicines in Ayurvedic system using aonla. Besides fruits, leaves, bark and even seeds are being used for various purposes.

Amla: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

JAMUN
Jamun (Syzygium cuminii) is indigenous to India. Its tree is tall and evergreen. It is generally grown as avenue or as windbreak. The refreshing and curative properties of jamun make it one of the useful medicinal plants of India. Fruits are a good source of iron, used as an effective medicine against diabetes, heart and liver trouble. The seed powder of jamun reduces the quantity of sugar in the urine very quickly.

Jamun: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

JACKFRUIT
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is popularly known as the poor man’s food in the eastern and southern parts of India. A rich source of vitamin A, C, and minerals, it also supplies carbohydrates. Tender jackfruits are popularly used as vegetable. Canning of flakes can be done. They can be bottled and served after mixing with honey and sugar. Nectar is prepared from its pulp. The rind rich in pectin can be used for making jelly. The flakes, seeds, sterile flowers, skin and core contain calcium pectate 4.6, 1.6, 3.7, 3.2 and 2.1% respectively.

Jackfruit: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

KIWI
Kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is a native to central China and grown commercially in New Zealand, Italy, USA, China, Japan, Australia, France, Chile and Spain. In India, kiwi was first planted in the Lal Bagh Gardens at Bangalore as an ornamental tree.

Kiwi: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

KARONDA
Karonda (Carissa carandas ) is a hardy, evergreen, spiny and indigenous shrub grown commonly as a hedge plant. Fruits, sour and astringent in taste, are the richest source of iron containing good amount of vitamin C. Very useful to cure anaemia, its fruits have antiscorbutic properties also.

Karonda: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

LOQUAT
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is an evergreen, subtropical fruit. It is available in the market during mid-March–May when there is scarcity of fruits. it was introduced in India under the name of ‘Japanese medlar’.

Loquat: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

LITCHI
Litchi (Litchi chinensis) is famous for its excellent quality, pleasant flavour, juicy pulp (aril) with attractive red colour. Although litchi is liked very much as a table fruit, dried and canned litchies are also popular. A highly flavoured squash is also prepared from its fruits. The fruit consists of 60% juice, 8% rag, 19% seed and 13% skin varying upon variety and climate. Litchi is also an excellent source of vitamin C (40.0–90mg/100g) but it contains insignificant amount of protein (0.8–0.9%), fat (0.3%), pectin (0.43%) and minerals especially calcium, phosphorus and iron (0.7%).

Litchi: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

MANGO
Mango (Mangifera indica), the king of fruits, is grown in India for over 400 years. More than 1,000 varieties exist today. It is grown in almost all the states. The major varieties available in India are Mango Alphonso; Mango Totapuri, Mango Neelam, Mango Chausa, Mango Badami, Mango Dasheri etc

Mango: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

LONGAN
Longan (Dimocarpus longan) is a sub-tropical ornamental tree found in south and east India; fruits occur in clusters of 25–30; sweet aril is eaten fresh, dried and canned.

MULBERRY
A tropical evergreen plant grown for its ornamental value. Fruits are edible and mainly three varieties are grown in India which are Mulberry White, Mulberry Black and Mulberry Red

MANGOSTEEN
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is considered by many to be the most delicious fruit of the tropics with a universal appeal. Known as ‘the finest fruit of the world’ or ‘queen of fruits’. The exquisite flavour of the fruit is likened to that of nectar and is the only fruit in which glucose is in readily available form. Mangosteen fruit resembles small-sized orange with a smooth reddish purple cortex (rind) which is about 0.6 cm in thickness. Inside the fruit, 4–6 segments are found but only 1–2 of them contain seeds that have the size and shape of a shelled almond. The pearly white pulp is so soft and juicy that it almost melts in mouth with an indescribably sweet and pleasant flavour. The cortex is used in treating chronic diarrhoea, uretural irritation, gonorrhea etc. It is also used in tannary because of higher content of tannins up to 13%.

Mangosteen: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PASSION FRUIT
Passion fruit, (Passiflora edulis) is native of Brazil. The juice of passion fruit with an excellent flavour, is quite delicious, nutritious and liked for its blending quality. It is extensively used in confectionery, and preparation of cakes, pies and ice-cream. A rich source of vitamin A, it also contains fair amount of sodium, magnesium, sulphur and chlorides.
It is a perennial climber and the vines bear hen’s egg-sized fruits in abundance. They are smooth, ovoid and purple-yellow on ripening. The rind afterwards shrinks and becomes wrinkled. The rind is bordered by white pith, and inside small, hard, black seeds are surrounded separately by a soft, slightly acid, fragrant and juicy orange-yellow pulp

Passion fruit: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PHALSA
Phalsa (Grewia subinaequalis), a subtropical fruit, is native to India. Phalsa plant bears many small berry-like fruits of deep reddish-brown colour. Ripe fruits are sub-acidic in taste and a rich source of vitamins (A and C) and minerals (phosphorus and iron). Its medicinal qualities are known since vedic times. The fruits are somewhat astringent and have a cooling effect. They help cure inflammation, heart and blood disorders, fever and constipation.

Phalsa: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PINE APPLE
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is an important fruit crop in India. A good source of vitamins A and B, pineapple is fairly rich in vitamins C, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. It is also a source of bromelin, a digestive enzyme.

Pineapple: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PAPAYA
Papaya (Carica papaya) produces fruits throughout the year. It requires less area for tree, comes to fruiting in a year, is easy to cultivate and provides more income/ha next to banana. It has a high nutritive and medicinal value. Papain prepared from dried latex of its immature fruits is used in meat tenderising, manufacture of chewing gum, cosmetics, for degumming natural silk and to give shrink resistance to wool. Besides, it is also used in pharmaceutical industries, textile and garment cleaning paper and adhesive manufacture, sewage disposal, etc. the major variants available in Indian markets are Papaya Normal, Papaya Disco and Papaya Solo

Papaya: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PEACH
Peach (Prunus persica) is a temperate fruit rich in proteins, sugar, minerals and vitamins.

Peach: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PLUM
Plum (Prunus salicina) is an important temperate fruit which is used both as fresh and in preserved form. Of the stone fruits, it ranks next to the peaches in economic importance. Two types of plum—European (P. domestica) and Japanese (P. salicina) are grown in India, mainly in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and hills of Uttar Pradesh, and also to some extent in Nilgiri hills of south India.

Plum: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PEAR
Pear (Pyrus communis) is next only to apple in importance, acreage, production and varietal diversity among temperate fruits in India. Fruits are rich in proteins, sugar, minerals and vitamins

Pear: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

QUINCE
A minor fruit crop which is not very popular in India

ROSE APPLE
Rose apple (Malbar plum) (Syzygium jambos): is mainly grown for its pale yellow fruits; fruits are with crisp pulp with rose flavour which has high pectin content

SAPOTA
Sapota or sapodilla (Manilkara achras), popularly known as chiku, is an important fruit. Around the world, it is mainly grown for its chickle, "the gutta parcha" extracted from its latex from stems. It is used as a base material in chewing gum and in some other industrial uses. However, in India it is cultivated for its delicious sweet fruits. The fruit is fleshy berry, variable in shape, size and weight (75–150g). The skin is thin, rusty brown somewhat scurfy looking like Irish potato, and the pulp soft, melting, crumbling with a sandy or granular texture with 1–5 hard, black seeds. The fruit is a good source of digestible sugar (12–18%) and an appreciable source of protein, fat, fibre and minerals, Ca, P and Fe.

Sapota: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

PISTACHIO NUT
An important dry fruit in India

HAZEL NUT
A very delicious and nutritious dry fruit

SWEET ORANGE
Citrus fruits rank third in area and production after banana and mango in India and sweet orange are the second largest citrus fruits being cultivated. Fruits are juicy and rich in vitamins and minerals. Popularly known as “mosambi”

Sweet Orange: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

MANDARIN ORANGE
Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is most common among citrus fruits grown in India. Fruits are nutritious and rich in vitamins C

Mandarin Orange: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

RAMBUTAN
Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), a medium-sized evergreen tree produces ellipsoidal fruits in clusters of 15–20 fruits. Fruits weigh 40–50g each and resemble litchi but because of long, thick, soft hairs or spines on the surface these are known as rambutan (in Malay ‘rambut’ stands for hair). The hairy outgrowth has eye-catching red and yellow colours and it imparts a distinctive exotic appearance to its fruits. The thin, leathery fruit skin is easily peeled away, revealing a pearly white, gelatinous, juicy pulp (aril) surrounding a large seed. The translucent pulp is sweet or sub-acid with a refreshing flavour and is akin in many ways to litchi pulp. The fruits are a good source of sugars and vitamin C and are eaten as a fresh dessert fruit. The pulp can be preserved in syrup or used in several conserves.

Rambutan: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

MACADAMIA
Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) is delicious and nutritious nut indigenous to the eastern Australia. It is also called Australian nut or Queensland nut. M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla are cultivated but M. integrifolia is more common and known as smooth shelled type which has almost spherical, smooth surface kernels while M. tetraphylla is known as rough-shelled type and produces slightly elliptical or spindle shaped kernels with pebbled surface. The edible part, a white cream coloured kernel or embryo is enclosed in one piece very tough spherical brown seed coat or shell which is surrounded by a green, fibrous pericarp or husk. On an average, a fruit weighing 20g has 10g seed and 3g kernels. The macadamia nut resembles cashew in taste but is more oily and globular in shape. The kernels contain relatively large amounts of protein (about 10%) and oil (about 75%). Macadamia nuts are considered a good source of calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Macadamia: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management
PERSIMMON
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is considered as the national fruit of Japan. Fruits are hard and astringent

Persimmon: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

DURIAN
Durian (Durio zibethinus) produces fruits with a unique appearance, taste, flavour and aroma. The durian fruits are ovoid to ellipsoid, large, weighing up to 5kg with thorny surface like jack and normally olive- green in colour. People have strong like or dislike for this fruit. Many like it, because of its sweet, delicious and filling taste, while others dislike it for its highly objectionable odour. The 5-loculed fruit has 2–3 seeds in each locule, surrounded by light colour, mealy, sweet aril, and the edible pulp. The seed is readily separable from the pulp, and are edible when fried, roasted or boiled. The pulp is rich in sugars (12%), protein (2.8%) and carbohydrates (34%) in addition to Fe, B, vitamins especially the uncommon but valuable vitamin E. When durian fruit is consumed, it gives a feeling of internal warmth, followed by a glowing sensation, and this has led to a strong belief that the fruit has aphrodisiacal qualities. The fruits are highly prized both as fresh fruit and in processed form. Durian also has some pharmacological properties, e.g. decoction of roots is used to treat fever and that of leaves and roots is used to check inflammation, infections and to treat jaundice.

Durian: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

EGG FRUIT
Egg fruit (Pouteria campechiana) or canisetel is a lesser-known fruit and is only known and eaten in a few localities and is seldom utilized commercially. It is an evergreen, small-sized tree of the family under which sapota is classified. The fruits, which are about the size of an apple, are yellowish to orange in colour with somewhat mealy pulp similar in appearance and texture to a cooked egg yolk enclosing often a single large seed. At maturity, the strong odour of the pulp is described as musky and is not agreeable to many people. The taste is unique, rich sweet and contains about 2,000 iu/100g carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. It is also a good source of proteins (2.5%) and or vitamin C (43 mg/100g).

Eggfruit: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

CHIRONJI
Chironji (Buchanania lanzan): Subtropical, mostly found in drier regions; a small tree; dark coloured ripe fruits are eaten; seeds also edible and used as dry fruit; gum obtained from the tree is used in textile industry.

BARBADOS CHERRY
Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra): Grows in humid to warm tropics; spreading shrub, about 4 m high, can withstand mild frost and drought; fruits are good source of vitamin C, bark yields tannin; propagation by cuttings, grafting and air-layering

SURINAM CHERRY
Surinam cherry (Brazil cherry) (Eugenia uniflora): Widely distributed in tropics and subtropics; an ornamental shrub; sub-globose (3 cm diameter) 8-ribbed fruits; soft, juicy, pulp is pleasantly eaten fresh and used for jelly making; seed and cleft grafting are means of propagation.

HOG PLUM
Hog plum (yellow mombin) (Spondias mombin): Grows in humid tropics of south India; very large tree; pear-shaped yellow fruits, are edible and used in jelly-making; infusion of leaves and fruits is useful as expectorant; propagated by seeds.

STAR APPLE
Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito): Can be raised in humid tropics to frost-free sub-tropics; a graceful ornamental tree reaching a height of 15m; star-shaped, 5-10 cm diameter fruits are edible; pulp is whitish, soft and sweet; propagation is either from seeds or layers.

PRICKLY PEAR
Prickly pear (Indian fig) (Opuntia ficus-indica): Found in arid tropics and sub-tropics with winter rains; grown as hedge plant; spineless types are identified; a cactus-fruit, oblong to pear shaped; pulp soft, whitish, translucent with many seeds, juicy and can be eaten fresh or dried; baked fruits are good for whooping cough; raised from cuttings.

PECAN NUT
Pecan (Carya illinoensis) is one of the most important nut fruits of the world, ranking fifth in production. Its kernels have high nutritional and calorific value, i.e. 11–12% protein, 70% fat and good amount of phosphoric acid.

Pecan Nut: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management

WALNUT
Walnut (Juglans sp.) is the most important temperate nut fruit of the country. Walnuts earn valuable foreign exchange.

Walnut: Production, Disease Pest Management and Post Harvest Management