In June, saplings of an early-yielding jackfruit variety, the fruits of which may be picked from late November, will be introduced in Mangaluru city.
Mangala Early is the result of a collaboration between B. Sarvesha Rao, a nursery owner, Gururaja Balthillaya, a well-known grafter of the coastal belt, and Gabriel Stany Veigas, a retired District Forest Officer (DFO) who is a pioneer in raising a jackfruit orchard spread over 10 acres in the coastal belt. It's a farmer's selection.
Mr. Veigas' jackfruit plantation in Neerakere in Tenka Mijar village near Moodbidri comprises over 900 trees/plants of several jackfruit species, many of which are presently bearing fruit. It is presently the most extensive jackfruit orchard in the coastal zone. In 2013-14, he began planting them.
According to Mr. Veigas, the Mangala Early variety's fruits may be picked for roughly two months, from the final week of November to the end of January. The fruiting season ends in February, and after three years of planting, it begins to produce.
He explained, "This kind is ideally suited to the coastline and Malnad area."
The Mangala Early type is being released after more than three years of study, according to the previous DFO.
"The Mangala Early variety's development is particularly vigorous and disease-free," he said, adding that a well-cared-for tree might yield up to 40 fruits in a season.
Mr. Veigas claims that ten of the mother plant's trees are over ten years old on his estate. In addition, a year ago, he planted 50 grafted seedlings of the variety, which are now about six feet tall.
Mr. Rao, who described the variety as a "sweet and tasty jackfruit," will release it for farmers to use, he said.
Mr. Rao claims that his Chiguru nursery will release 5,000 saplings of the variety for farmers to use.
Mr. Veigas recommended that delicate jackfruit be plucked till three years old in early-yielding types (which yield within three years of planting). Its purpose is to allow the plant to develop and get stronger. Otherwise, due to the weight of the fruit, the plant will lose its strength and may die or break.
Prashanthi, Nerala Katte, Manmohan, and Prakashchandra, he claimed, give fruit in January and February.
