Sapodilla Research Paper

Tree: Sapodilla is a medium to large tree with a pyramidal to rounded canopy with many branches. It produces a dense crown and a characteristic branching system (sympodial), in which the young branches are arranged horizontally. These long-lived trees grow slowly but after many years, may reach 20-30 m in height. Branches are horizontal or drooping. A milky latex known as ―chickle exudes from all tree parts.

Leaves: The leaves are highly ornamental, 7.5-11.25 cm long and 2.5- 3.75 cm wide. They are medium green, glossy, alternate and spirally clustered at the tip of forked twigs. The foliage is evergreen. Leaves spirally arranged and clustered at the shoot tips, simple, elliptic or oblong, apex obtuse to shortly acuminate; coriaceous, shining,

Flowers greenish, solitary, cyathiform or campanulate, with a brown pubescent peduncle; 6 sepals, 6 corolla lobes. Flowers are hairy outside, 8 mm long and 6-parted. Flowers are borne singly or in clusters in leaf axils near the tips of branches. Flowers are small, bisexual, off-white, bell-shaped, and measure about 10 mm in diameter. There are several flushes of flowers throughout the year. Roots: Sapodilla is a shallow-rooted tree, with more than 80% of the roots located within the top 75 cm of soil, concentrated within an area half the width of the canopy (Bhuva et al., 1991). About 66% of the moisture extracted from the soil is in the first 75 cm. This root morphology suggests that irrigation may be economically feasible in areas of low

When immature it is hard, gummy and very astringent. Though smooth-skinned it is coated with a sandy brown scurf until fully ripe. The flesh ranges in color from yellowish to light- or dark-brown or sometimes reddish-brown; may be coarse and somewhat grainy or smooth; becomes soft and very juicy, sweet to very sweet (19-24o Brix), pleasant flavor resembling that of a pear. When fruit reaches maximum size, it may be picked and allowed to ripen off the tree. From experience, one can judge maturity of fruit of a particular variety or selection by its size and appearance. Fruit growth follows a sigmoid pattern (Lakshminarayana and Subramanyam,