Transcript Organics - Guam Sustainable Ag

Fruit Trees: Income Generating Plant
Materials for Windbreaks,
Vegetative Barriers, & Hedgerows
Prepared by
L. Robert Barber, Roland Quitugua, & Ilene Iriarte
For:
University of Guam, Cooperative Extension Service &
Guam Department of Agriculture
Funding provided by:
United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Western Region Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education Administration for Native Americans,, &
Sanctuary Incorporated
Fruit Tree Windbreaks
• Primary function is wind protection
– Tree spacing is much closer than normal (orchard)
• Fruit yield will be reduced dramatically once the
plants are mature, if irrigation and nutrients are
not provided along with a pruning program
• May require thinning in about 5-10 years
depending on species
Land Preparation
• If planting on new or overgrown land
clear unwanted vegetation taking care not
to remove the top soil
– If using a bulldozer do not scrape the soil
– Steeply sloping land should not be stripped of
plant cover due to susceptibility to erosion
• Do not operate any machinery on wet soil
because it will cause compaction affecting
plant growth and development
Planting & Care
• Minimum:
– Dig a hole the same depth and twice as wide
as the root ball
– You want the crown (point where root & stem
meet) level with the ground surface
• Keep soil and mulch away from the base
of the plant to avoid rot
Planting & Care
• Break up any of the roots that are circling
the root ball “pot bound roots”
• Inspect roots for “j”root make sure tap
root is straight
• “Its better to plant a $1 plant in a $10 hole
than it is to plant $10 plant in a $1 hole”
Mulch
• Mulch Your Plants
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Weed barrier
Slow release nutrients
Conserves water
Protects your plants from bush cutters
• Bush cutters
– Often damages desired plants
– Physically harms plants – Bush cutter disease
(careless cuts girdle tree) kills huge numbers of trees
on Guam.
Mulched Yoga surrounded by
chicken wire
Common Causes of Plant Death
• Planted too deep
• Mulched too deep
• Over watering or under watered
• Bush cutter damage
• Mulch or soil up against plant base (stem)
Species Height
• Short Species: 20 feet and under
– Calamansi
– Soursop
– Surinam Cherry
- Noni
- Lemon China
• Medium Species: 20-50 feet
– Avocado
– Saba/Palau banana
– Dwarf coconut
- Binalo
• Large Species: 50 feet and over
– Breadfruit
– Mango
- Tamarind
Spacing
Fruit Trees:
Windbreak:
Orchard:
Calamansi
5-8 feet
8-10 feet
Soursop
5-8 feet
8-14 feet
Surinam Cherry
8-10 feet
10-15 feet
Noni
6-10 feet
10-15 feet
Lemon China
6-10 feet
8-14 feet
Avocado
12-18 feet
20-40 feet
Saba Banana
8-14 feet
12-18 feet
Dwarf Coconut
10-12 feet
15-20 feet
Binalo
10-15 feet
10-15 feet
Breadfruit
12-16 feet
15 – 40 feet
Mango
10-16 feet
15-40 feet
Tamarind
8-15 feet
12-20 feet
Propagation
Fruit Trees:
How to Propagate:
Calamansi
Seed, Air Layering, Grafting
Soursop
Seed
Surinam Cherry
Seeds, Volunteer Seedlings, Air Laying
Noni
Seed, Cuttings
Lemon China
Seed, Air Layering, Grafting
Avocado
Seed, Grafting,
Saba Banana
Division, Tissue Culture
Dwarf Coconut
Seed
Binalo
Seed
Breadfruit
Root shoot & Cuttings, Air Laying; Seed (Dokdok)
Mango
Seed, Grafting
Tamarind
Seeds, Cuttings, Air Laying, Grafting
Calamansi
• Can not tolerate water logged soils
• Can be used as living fences
• Good bee forage
• Flowers & fruits most of the year if
irrigated
• Peel can be used in animal feed mixes
Lemon China
• Can not tolerate water logged soils
• Can be used as living fences
• Good bee forage
• Flowers & fruits most of the year if
irrigated
Lemon China
Soursop
• Seeds are poisonous causing severe eye
inflammation
• If soils are too dry the tree will drop all it’s
leaves, mulching & irrigation are recommended
• Flowers and fruits more or less throughout the
year
• Juice & pulp can be used in drinks or dried fruit
• Fruit & pulp may be used as animal fodder if
seeds are removed
Avocado
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Does not tolerate water logging
Tolerates salt spray
Used as animal fodder
Avocados will not ripen while still attached to tree
Full grown avocados will ripen 2 days to 1 week at
room temperature
• Season can be extended by selecting different
varieties
Saba/Palau Banana
• Tolerant to most diseases
• For Nurseries
– Light well drained growing medium
(pathogen free)
– Irrigate after planting
• Not a tree, has a pseudostem
– Sap permanently stains clothes
– Flower is a vegetable
Breadfruit
• Fruits can weigh 0.5 – 13 lbs.
• Fruit yield is extremely variable & can
range from 100 -700 fruits per tree.
– Average yield is 150 – 200 fruits per tree
• Does well interplanted with other species
• Surface roots can be easily damaged by
mowers & other equipment (heavy
mulching recommended)
Breadfruit
• Fruits are high in carbohydrates, vitamins,
& minerals
• Seeds are high in protein, low in fat
• Salt and drought tolerant
• Can be potentially used as erosion control
Dokdok (Seeded breadfruit)
• Do not produce root shoots & cannot be grown from
root cuttings
• Seeds are viable for several weeks
• Seeds cannot be stored, damaged by chilling, or drying
• Collect seeds from soft ripe fruits
• Seed should be firm, shinny & does not give way when
squeezed
• Seeds germinate within 10-14 days
• Transplant to 1-2 gallon pots when true leaves have
hardened
• Ready to transplant in the field in one year
• Will bear fruit in 6 – 10 years
Tamarind
• Slow growing, long lived
• Wind resistant
• Withstands salt sprays
• There are many food uses:
– Curries, sauces, seasonings, drinks, & roasted
• Pulp is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron,
thiamine, & riboflavin
Tamarind
Surinam Cherry
• Can grow in most soil types
• Can withstand waterlogged soils for a
time
• Does not tolerate salt
• Seedlings grow slowly
– May fruit from 2 -5 years, depends on
conditions
• Fruits rapidly become larger & sweeter
after a good watering
Surinam Cherry
Lada or Noni
• Noni flowers & fruits throughout the year
• Grows in a wide range of soils
• Can tolerate drought and water logged
soils for long periods of time
• Very salt tolerant
• Regenerates rapidly
• Fruit, leaves, stems, & roots are used for
medicinal purposes
Mango
• Tolerate a wide range of soil types
• Considered to be drought tolerant
– During fruiting season will cause fruit drop &
low yields
• Wind resistant & are used as windbreaks
• Sap is slightly caustic & toxic & can cause:
– Rash, blisters, swelling of lips, throat, face, &
other parts of skin
– Sap burn on fruits
Mango Seeds
• Monoembryonic:
– Contains only one embryo
– Cross between maternal & paternal parents
– Fruits vary
• Polyembryonic:
– Contains many embryos
– Normally identical to mother plant
Binalo (Pacific Rosewood)
• Grows naturally only in the Mariana Islands and
throughout tropical areas of the Pacific
• It is commonly found on the beach strand, along
river, mouths, and can be found on limestone
terraces not far from the coast.
• Binalo produces attractive yellow flowers and
fruits that mature from green to brown.
• Wood has been used for tool handles, and its
bark for medicine, fence stalks, and its inner
bark for cordage
Binalo
Summary
• For more information contact your local
Cooperative Extension Service at 735-2080