Production technology of AVACADO

Avocado

       Avocado or butter fruit (Persea americana) is a subtropical, evergreen fruit tree. Its trees can be short, spreading and fairly bushy or grow erect to a height of 20m or more. The demand for this fruit has been increasing over the past few years in many countries. It has become an important fruit in the international trade. Mexico, Brazil, USA, Israel, New Zealand, South America and South Africa are the major producers of avocado. In India, it is grown as a backyard tree and is found in small pockets on hill slopes of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra. It is consumed primarily as fresh and is neither sweet nor acidic. The edible pulp has a nutty flavour with a buttery texture. It is reputed as a nourishing food of high dietetic value. Its nutritional vales are comparable to ripe olives with an average of 2.1% protein, 1.32% minerals and 24–26% fat. It is also a good source of potassium, iron and vitamin B. Since the fruit contains not more than 1% sugar, it is recommended as high energy food for diabetics. Its energy value is twice as much as banana fruit. Avocado is eaten fresh on bread or in salads with lemon juice, salt and pepper, but in India people prefer to eat it after mixing the pulp with sugar. Avocado oil is used in preparation of cosmetics.

Climate and Soil

              Avocado comes up well in tropical and subtropical climate with a mild winter at an elevation of 600–1,500m and an annual rainfall of 125–180cm. However, it can be grown even in areas with low or ill-distributed rainfall, if the irrigation facility is assured. High humidity during flowering and fruit set is necessary to secure a good crop. Varieties of the Mexican race and its hybrids are well adapted to the cool climates, while the west Indian types are best adapted to the low land tropical conditions of high temperature and humidity. The Guatemalan race is intermediate. Because of the differences in adaptation, avocado offers good opportunity for selecting an appropriate variety for a given climate. Thus, it is presently grown on a commercial scale in different parts of the world having extremely different environment. The climatic extremes range from almost desert condition (Israel) to high land tropics (Mexico) to cool mist belt conditions (Queensland). However, planting of this crop in sites with violent winds should not be taken up or else windbreaks must be provided, as avocado plants have branches that break easily.

            Cultivation of avocado can be taken up on loamy or sandy loamy soils of alluvial origin having 5–7 pH. This crop is sensitive to waterlogged condition, hence raising on poorly drained soils should be avoided. Shallow soils, soils with gravelly sub-soils and those poor in organic matter are also not suitable for avocado cultivation. It does not tolerate salinity, excepting varieties of west Indian race. This fruit has been grown successfully on a limited scale in India in the hill slopes of Nilgiris, coastal region of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra.