Sapota

Manilkara ahras (Mill) Forsberg)

Sapota is a tropical crop requiring hot humid climate. Coastal climate is highly suitable for cultivation of sapota. Being an irrigated crop, it needs to be irrigated regularly at an interval of 8 – 10 days during winter and 6 to 8 days during summer season. It is planted by square system at the spacing of 10 m x 10m. The grafts prepared on Khirni rootstock are planted for establishing sapota orchard.

Sapota comes up well in well drained medium, sandy loam and laterite soil. The waterlogged ill drained soils are unsuitable.

Sapota is a perennial crops, lives for more than 60 – 70 years after planting.

Kalipatti, Pilipatti, Cricket ball, Co-1, Co – 2, PKM – 1, Chhatri, PKM – 2 etc are the commercial varieties of sapota. However, Kalipatti is the most popular due to its better quality.

The sapota trees are regularly irrigated and fertilizers are applied every years for better growth and higher fruit production.

The sapota trees are regularly irrigated and fertilizers are applied every years for better growth and higher fruit production.

The no. of plants recommended/ ha are 100.

The fruit rot and leaf spot diseases can be controlled by spraying 1% B.M. before rainy season. Fruit seed borer and flower bud borer are becoming major pests, which could be controlled by recommended control measures suggested by the University.

The recommended fertilizer dose for sapota (20 years old ) is 3 kg of N, 3 kg of P2O5 and 3 kg K2O per plant per year alongwith 100kg of FYM or compost/plant/year

Harvesting of sapota starts from 5 years after planting. When fruit develop colour and latex content reduces, the fruits are harvested manually or by using Atul sapota harvester. Harvesting of fruits is throughout the year.

The 10 years sapota tree yields 2500 to 3000 fruits per year. Yield increases with age.

Fruit seed borer and flower bud borer are becoming major pests which could be controlled by recommended control measures suggested by the University.