Introduction

Introduction
    ANNONA (SUGAR APPLE)
    Botanical name
    		 : Annona Squamosa Linn.
    Family
    		 : Annonaceae
    Chromosome No
    		 : 2n = 14
    : Tropical America - Peru
    The custard apple has been growing in India from time immemorial. It is found growing wild in sub-tropical and tropical parts of India. The edilble part of anona is areoles. It has about 120 species, five of them having pomological significance and 4 of the 5 species are important in the commerce and are originated in South America and one seems to have originated from Eastern Africa. The first group includes –
    • Annona cherimola – Cherimoya/Lakshmanphal
    • A. muricata – Soursop/ Mullu Ramphal/Mamphal
    • A. reticulata – Bullock’s heart/Ramphal
    • A. squamosa – Custard apple/Sitaphal/Sweet Sop/Sugar apple
    • A. glabra – Pond apple/Hanumanphal/Monkey apple
    The African species A. senegalensis – wild soursop
    A. atemoya
    • Atemoya is a cross between A. squamosa x A. cherimola.
    • Annonaceous fruits have morphological affinity for each other, but each type is unique in its taste, flavor, colour and texture.
    • Custard apple is cultivated mainly in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Orissa.
    Anona plant

Last modified: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 8:15 AM