Tropical and subtropical fruits (2+1)

Harvesting, storage and yield

Harvesting

• Fruits are picked at green mature stage; soft and dark red/purple patches on the skin of fruits, fruits are harvested with attached peduncle.
Yield

• Seedling mangosteen plants require 7-8 years to bear while grafted plants starts bearing at the age of 4-5 years.
• About 30-50 kg fruit can be obtained from well maintained orchards of 15th year onwards.
• The plants yield upto 200-2000 fruits/tree or 20-25 kg/tree (4-5t/ha).
Storage

• The presence of yellow dried latex oozed from the latex vessels on the fruit skin is known as Gamboge, it may be scrapped off.
• Thick fruit wall hardens as the fruit ripens and the fruits are dipped in fungicides, and fruits can be stored at 8-10oC upto 8 weeks.