Vegetables, fruits: supply system made further effective: minister

Punjab Food Minister and Chairman Price Control Committee Bilal Yaseen said supply system of vegetables and fruits have been made further effective in all markets of districts across Punjab. He said, as a result of government steps, prices of everyday items have been reduced, due to which edible items have now become accessible to the common man. The Provincial Food Minister expressed these views while monitoring auction of vegetables and fruits at Badami Bagh Market early morning. He said Punjab government has made foolproof planning to provide relief to the common man, due to which price hike has been controlled to a great extent. He said profiteers and illegal overcharging elements have now been brought under the grip of strict law, due to which citizens have been made available vegetables, fruits and everyday items at affordable rates. Food Minister directed staff deputed at Badami Bagh Fruit Market to ensure their presence at the hour of auctioneering at the market, along with prominently displaying rate list of vegetables and fruits.

Courtesy Business Recorder  I News Collated by agrinfobank.com

Fruit exporters fear cancellation of orders

Fruit exporters on Friday feared cancellation of orders from foreign buyers in the wake of continuing strike of goods transporters, which has brought exports and imports to a suspension for the second day. The goods transporters, despite disagreements within their different associations, continuing strike They slated the administration for not responding to their complaints to solve their long-running problems.
Talking to Business Recorder, transporters'leader, Khalid Khan said the government has failed to implement its decision which they had agreed some six months back assuring them to resolve their problems. "The strike will continue till the government solves our problems. The strike is suspending goods supplies to all seaports and upcountry," he said.
Karachi Port Trust (KPT) officials, however, denied reports that the strike has reduced the cargo and ship handling at the harbour. They said the port operations continued without any disturbances by the transporters strike. Transporters said they are forced to pay extortion to police and customs officials on monthly basis. Fruit exporters said "If buyers did not receive their consignments in time then they may cancel their orders placed with Pakistani exporters, which is feared to cause a huge financial loss to fruit exporters," they said.

Khalid Khan said the government should reverse its decision of increasing advance income tax on transporters from 100 percent to 500 percent "KPT has also backed out of its pledge to provide a parking lot to transporters," he said, adding that the transporters are compelled to stay on roadsides around the port area. He showed regrets over the "negative" attitude of police towards transporters, saying "the police forcefully takes containers from the transporters to block roads during any event in the city."

Source: http://www.brecorder.com

Papaya: Origin and Botany

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a popular fruit native to tropical America. It is usually grown for its small to large melon-like fruit. It is a herbaceous perennial, bearing fruit continuously at the leaf axils spirally arranged along the single erect trunk. The papaya is also called papaw, pawpaw, papayer (French), melonenbaum (German), lechosa (Spanish), mamao, mamoeiro (Portuguese), mugua (Chinese) and betik (Malaysian, Indonesian).

BOTANY
Taxonomy and nomenclature
The cultivated papaya belongs to the family Caricaceae and is the only member of the genus Carica. Caricaceae is a small family of dicotyledonous plants with six genera; four of tropical American origin (Carica, Jarilla, Jacaratia, Vasconcella) and one, Cylicomorpha, from equatorial Africa. Caricaceae species have been variously classified in families such as Cucurbitaceae, Passifloraceae, Bixaceae and Papayaceae. Approximately 71 species have been described, though Badillo (1993, 2000) reduced the number to 32 species, with the  following distribution: Carica, 1 species, Cylicomorpha, 2 species, Jacaratia, 5 species, Jarilla, 3 species, Vasconcella, 20 species, and Horovitzia, 1 species. Papaya (C. papaya L.) is the most important economic species in Caricaceae. Carica and Vasconcella species are dioecious, except for the monoecious Vasconcella monoica (Desf.) and some Vasconcella pubescens and the polygamous C. papaya. Most species are herbaceous, single-stemmed and erect. Other than C. papaya L., the other edible species are Vasconcella candamarcensis Hook. f., V. monoica Desf., Vasconcella erythrocarpa Heilborn, Vasconcella goudotiana Solms- Laubach and Vasconcella quercifolia Benth. and Hook (Storey, 1969). These fruit are mostly eaten cooked, being normally dry and lacking the juicy flesh of C. papaya. Another edible species, Vasconcella pentagona, is called ‘babaco’.

Origin and distribution
C. papaya has not been found wild in nature and is only distantly related to the Vasconcella species, based upon isozyme and AFLP analysis. The greatest diversity in C. papaya exists in the Yucatan–San Ignacio–Peter–Rio Motagua area of Central America. The volunteer population in this area has greater diversity than domesticated populations (Morshidi, 1996; Van Droogenbroeck et al., 2002). Papaya origins are rather uncertain, but there is some agreement among botanists that it originated in the lowlands of Central America, between southern Mexico and Nicaragua. Early distribution over a wide geographical region in Central and South America was aided by the abundance of seeds in the fruit and the seeds long viability. The accounts of 18th-century travellers and botanists indicated that seeds of papaya had been taken from the Caribbean to Malacca and on to India (Storey, 1941a). From Malacca or the Philippines, distribution continued throughout Asia and to the South Pacific region. Don Francisco Marín, a Spanish explorer and horticulturist, is credited with the introduction of papaya into Hawaii from the Marquesas Islands during the early 1800s. Papaya is now grown in all tropical countries and in many subtropical regions of the world (Anonymous, 2003).

R&D to unlock $7 billion fruit and veg export potential in Pakistan

Pakistan has the potential to increase the value of its fruit and vegetable export from $25 million to $7 billion over the next decade, if it were to invest more in research and development.

The issue was discussed between Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) and All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants (PFVA) at a meeting at PCSIR head office on Friday.

The participants included: Director General, Dr S Naimat Ali Rizvi, Dr Omer and Dr Khalid Jamil, and Ms Beena Naqvi, Senior Scientific Officer from PCSIR while PFVA was represented by Waheed Ahmed and Mohammad Ilyas Khan, Chairman and Secretary General respectively of PFVA.

it has long been the plan of the PFVA Chairman to initiate improved processes for research and development across the country.

The agenda of the recent meeting was to: Share the concerns of the PFVA about the issues/problems related to export of fruits and vegetables, share the vision of the PFVA about R&D in this segment of agribusiness, seek technical assistance, advice and support of the PCSIR in establishment of R&D facilities for the PFVA, and get familiar with their labs and research work in agribusiness.

The Chairman, PFVA expressed his keen desire that the PCSIR play an active role in conducting training workshops/seminars for bridging the communication gap between growers and exporters.

The Director General, Dr Rizvi, assured the PFVA Chair that the PCSIR would be happy to provide assistance on the following items:

- Developing a specific pesticide for a particular issue.
- Assist PFVA in developing Ethylene Chambers for ripening various fruits.
- Conduct seminars for growers/exporters for bridging the communication gap.
- Assist growers in multiplying the yield significantly by use of "Plant Tissue Culture Technology" (PTCT) which would ultimately benefit exports as well.

- Provide "soli testing" facility to the growers, and provide technical expertise to PFVA in resolution of any specific issue referred to the PCSIR.

Source: Business Recorder

Ramazan-related items become costlier

July 11, 2013  ABDUL RASHEED AZAD & WAQAR LILLAH

Traders have increased prices of Ramazan specific items by 25 percent to 100 percent excluding dates, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed. The survey revealed that on the eve of Ramazan traders increased prices of different fruits - mangoes, bananas, apples, grapes, peaches and watermelons by 25 percent to 50 percent.
Good quality mango was selling at Rs 100 per kg last Saturday and now it is selling at Rs 150 per kg; grapes were available at Rs 200 per kg against current price of Rs 300 per kg, banana was available at Rs 100 per dozen which is now priced at Rs 150 per dozen. Peaches were available at Rs 100 per kg and now are selling at Rs 160 per kg.
Likewise, prices of basin witnessed an increase of Rs 25 per kg: a few days ago basin was available at Rs 110 per kg which at present has touched Rs 135 per kg. Fresh milk is selling at Rs 80 per litre, yogurt at Rs 90 and live chicken at Rs 190-200. Prices of tomatoes, potatoes and onions have also witnessed an increase, ie, 50 percent to 100 percent as they were priced last Saturday at Rs 80 per kg, Rs 40 per kg and Rs 60 per kg, respectively, and now are selling at Rs 120 per kg, Rs 50 per kg and Rs 80 per kg, respectively.
The survey noted that price of dates registered a significant reduction compared to last Ramazan. Last year per kg good quality dates were selling at Rs 250 per kg which at present are available at Rs 150/200 per kg. The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) has announced setting up of as many as 35 fair price shops and four Sasta bazaars in the Capital. These bazaars and fair price shops would become operational from the first of Ramazan on Thursday (today). The objective of this step of the local administration is to ensure the availability of edible items in bulk and at subsidised rates for the general public during the month of Ramazan.
An official of the ICT told that the administration will depute magistrates to monitor prices of food items in Sasta bazaars on daily basis and they would have authority to fine profiteers upto Rs 90,000 for not displaying the rate list of food items at their shops. Quality of food items will be ensured at the bazaars and fair price shops through daily checking by magistrates, he added. He maintained that citizens prefer buying food items at the Sasta bazaars and fair price shops due to comparatively lower rates of food items in those markets.

Source: Business Recorder
News Collected by agrinfobank.com Team

Mango nutrition facts: How a mango is nutritious

“The king of the fruits," mango fruit is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruits with unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often labeled “super fruits."

Mango is one of the delicious seasonal fruits grow in the tropics. The tree is believed to be originating in the sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs within the family of Anacardiaceae, a family that also includes numerous species of tropical-fruiting trees in the flowering plants such as cashew, pistachio,...etc.

Mango is a tropical seasonal fruit, which saw its origin in the sub-Himalayan plains of India. There are different types and varieties of mango available in the market today. There are extremely juicy variants of mangoes available. Some mangoes have a small seed while some retain a big one. It is better to opt for those which are more fleshy, sweet and juicy to avail of maximum flavor. Alfonso is one of the breeds of mangoes, which is immensely popular, amongst people of all countries.

Mango is considered to be the king of fruits. It is widely popular in different corners of the world. Its unique flavor manages to turn on, even a non-fruit consumer. It also serves as a perfect beverage if blended with milk and sugar. The prepared beverage is also often termed as a mango smoothie or a mango-shake. It has a unique color and fragrance, which always manages to capture the attention of fruit lovers. Mango stands tall amongst the list of new functional foods known as ‘super fruits’. Along with providing a delicious and delectable taste, numerous health benefits are also offered by the king of fruits. Numerous mango nutrition facts are there, which should be first understood, before digging in to devour the delightful fruit.

Mango is considered to be one of the most nutritious food items. Numerous health benefits are offered by mangoes. Let us vide at some of the important mango nutrition facts which are there. Mangoes are rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals which are essential in strengthening body parts. They are also helpful in maintaining a healthy body. Poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds are present in mangoes which help in expelling harmful toxins from the body. Such compounds also help in fighting various diseases. The antioxidant compounds present in mango offer excellent protection against breast and colon cancers.

Other mango nutrition facts boast of a mango’s high vitamin quotient. Mangoes are an excellent source of Vitamin-A. Deficiency of Vitamin-A might cause night blindness. It is very important to increase the intake of mangoes in one’s diet to get rid of eye related problems. Mangoes are also rich in potassium which helps in controlling the heart rate and blood pressure. Another fact that could be placed in the list of mango nutrition facts is that, a mango poses as an excellent source of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, all of which retain antioxidant properties and are considered essential for vision. Such compounds are also necessary for the maintenance of healthy mucus membranes and skin. Vitamin-C and E are also available, which are necessary for creating resistance against infectious agents and harmful radicals. Mangoes are also ingested in their raw form in many countries. The raw form of a mango offers a unique sour taste, which is turned delicious by the addition of condiments and spices, in various places. Ingesting beverages made of raw mangoes, helps a person to avoid getting hit with sun strokes.

Health benefits of Mangoes

• Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds.
• According to new research study, mango fruit has been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast and colon cancers.
• Mango fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of fresh fruit provides 765 mg or 25% of recommended daily levels of vitamin A. Together; these compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is known to protect the body from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Fresh mango is a good source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium while just 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
• It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin-C and vitamin-E. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is required for GABA hormone production within the brain. It also controls homocystiene levels within the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in CAD and stroke.
• Further, it composes moderate amounts of copper. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells.
• Additionally, mango peel is also rich in phytonutrients, such as the pigment antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols.

Did You Know?

One cup of mangos is just 100 calories, so it’s a sweet treat that won’t weigh you down.

Each serving of mango is fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free.

Mangos contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals.

References:

1. http://www.mango.org
2. http://nutritiondata.self.com
3. http://www.nutrition-and-you.com
4. http://mangonutritionfacts.net/

KINNOW MANDARIN: THE PREMIER CITRUS OF PAKISTAN

*Muhammad Shafique Khalid,** Aman Ullah Malik,* Samina Khalid,* Omer Hafeez and *M. Amin

* PhD Scholar, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad

**Professor, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad

Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) is one of the major citrus cultivars and is extensively grown in Pakistan. It was developed by H.B. Frost at California as hybrid (F1 generation) between King and Willow leaf during 1915; released in 1935 and was introduced in sub continent during 1943-44. The first plantation in Pakistan was made at Experimental Fruit Garden of Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute Lyallpur (now University of Agriculture, Faisalabad). Since its introduction, it has flourished well under the agro-ecological conditions of Punjab, Pakistan. According to an estimate approximately 95% of the world Kinnow is being produced in Pakistan (Anonymous, 2011). The Kinnow fruit of Pakistan possesses superior taste, flavor and aroma and competes well with other citrus cultivars in qualitative and nutritive attributes as under:

Ø Kinnow grown in Pakistan is naturally coloured, no chemical degreening is needed.

Ø The fruit peel off very easily unlike other citrus members.

Ø Kinnow mandarin fruits have higher juice contents i.e. 53% as compared to other citrus varieties e.g. Grapefruit (48.50%), Blood Red (37.7%). Even Kinnow is juicier than Clementine mandarin.

Ø Kinnow has 18.59% more vitamin C as compared to Blood Red orange, 9.9% than Musambi and 6.65% than Grapefruit. Vitamin C protects against cancer by scavenging their causing compounds.

Ø As far as minerals contents (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and sodium) are concerned, Kinnow possess 11.11% more calcium than Grape fruit, 14.50% than Blood Red and 16.27% than Musambi. Similarly Kinnow has 10.73% higher Magnesium contents than Grapefruit, 14.19% than Blood Red and 15.87% than Musambi. Iron contents are also 7.93% greater in Kinnow than Grapefruit, 11.47% than Blood Red and 28.30% than Musambi.

Ø Kinnow mandarin is also loaded with photochemicals like antioxidants and phenolic compounds. Almost 16.18% high phenolic compounds are present in Kinnow as compared to Blood Red.

Ø Kinnow has about 16.14%, 6.05% and 47.02% higher antioxidant activity than that of Blood Red, Hamlin and Lemon respectively. These compounds are very important due to their antiallergic, anti inflammatory, anticancer and antiviral properties

Ø Kinnow mandarin is good source of Folic acid, β-carotene etc. Folic acid is recommended before and early pregnancy for healthy babies (avoiding neural tube defects). While β-carotene is important in immune response and also acts as antioxidant.

Ø Consumption of Kinnow fruits can provide sufficient quantities of pectin in diet as juice sac walls and capillary membranes are effective source of pectin. Pectin affects several metabolic and digestive processes most important of them are its affect on glucose absorption and maintaining cholesterol levels. Dietary fiber also reduces the chances of colon cancer by absorbing carcinogen in gastrointestinal tract.

Table 1: Biochemical profile of Kinnow mandarin of Pakistan

1. Juice (%age)^* 51-54

2. TSS ^oBrix^* 09-10.3

3. Acidity (%age)^* 0.55-1.0

4. Ascorbic acid (mg/100ml)^* 41-53

5. Total Sugars (%age)^* 7.2-7.5

6. Total phenolics compound (ppm) ^* 852-1059

7. Antioxidant activity (I %)^* 65-73

8. Calcium (mg/100ml)⁺ 0.750

9. Iron (mg/100ml)⁺ 0.338

10. Magnesium (mg/100ml)⁺ 7.48

SOURCE: ^*Khalid and Malik (unpublished data); ⁺Rashid, (2007);

Variation exists for different maturity stages

Table 2: Biochemical profile of other citrus varieties grown in Pakistan.

Grape fruit Blood Red Musambi

1. Juice (%age)^{** *} 48.50 37.70 54.0

2. TSS ^oBrix⁺ 7.50 10.0 10.5

3. Acidity (%age) ⁺ 1.39 0.55 0.32

4. Ascorbic acid (mg/100ml)⁺ 46.39 36.38 43.45

5. Total Sugars (%age) ⁺ 5.3 5.55 8.51

6. Total phenolics compound (ppm) ---- 255.0^** ----

7. Antioxidant activity (I %) ---- 49.1⁺⁺ ----

8. Calcium (mg/100ml) ⁺ 0.602 0.562 0.542

9. Iron (mg/100ml)⁺ 0.287 0.268 0.188

10. Magnesium (mg/100ml)⁺ 6.03 5.62 5.42

SOURCE: ⁺ Rashid, (2007); ^** Tounsi et al. (2010); ⁺⁺Scalzo et al. (2004); ^{** *}Ikhtiar et al. (2010)

Variation exists for different maturity stages

Table 2: Biochemical profile of citrus varieties grown in USA.

	Tangerine	Clementine	Navel	Valencia	Grapefruit	Lemon
Energy Kcal	53	47	49	49	32	29
Total lipids (g)	0.31	0.15	0.15	0.30	0.10	0.30
Carbohydrates(g)	13.34	12.02	12.54	11.89	8.08	9.32
Dietary fiber (g)	1.8	1.7	2.2	2.5	1.6	0.4
β Carotene (mcg)	155	----	87	----	552	3
α Carotene(mcg)	101	----	7	----	4	1
β Crytoxanthin, (mcg)	407	----	116	----	6	20
Vitamin A IU(IU)	681	----	247	230	927	22
Vitamin E (mg)	0.20	0.20	0.15	----	0.13	0.15
Folate (mcg)	16	----	34	39	10	11

SOURCE: USDA National Nutrient database (2010)

It is clearly concluded from above facts and figures that Tangerine including Kinnow has higher energy, carbohydrates, carotenes, Vitamins, Minerals contents (Ca, Mg and Iron), Juice percentage, Phenolics compound and Antioxidant activity than other citrus varieties grown nationally and internationally. Its distinguished features like natural color, easy peel, aroma, size and good blend of TSS to acidity ratio is an asset and worth for consumer attraction and export of Kinnow from the country.

References:
Anonymous, 2010. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture research service data base for standard reference release 23. Available at: www.ars.usd.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl. Date of retrieval: 25 Jan 2011.
Anonymous, 2011. All about Citrus. Available at: http://www.pakissan.com /english/allabout/ orchards/ citrus/index.shtml. Date of retrieval: 25 Jan 2011.
Khalid, S. and Malik, A.U. Fruit quality and storability of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) in relation to tree age. (Unpublished data).
Khan, I., Shah, Z., Saeed, M. and Shah, H. 2010. Phytochemical analysis of Citrus sinensis, Citrus reticulata and Citrus paradise. J. Chem. Soc. Pak., Vol. 32(6). 774-780.
Rashid, A. 2007. Evaluation of organic acids and mineral contents in citrus juices. M.Sc (Hons) Thesis, National Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFSAT), University of Agricutlure, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Scalzoa, R.L., Iannoccari, T., Summa, C., Morelli, R. and Rapisarda, P. 2004. Effect of thermal treatments on antioxidant and antiradical activity of blood orange juice. Food Chem. 85, 41–47.
Tounsi, M. S., Wannes, W. A. Ouerghemmi, I. Jegham, S. Njima, Y. B., Hamdaoui, G. Zemnib, H. and Marzouka, B. 2011. Juice components and antioxidant capacity of four Tunisian Citrus varieties. J Sci Food Agric. 91: 142–151.

Important Note: This article is copyright and sole property of agrinfobank.com, In case of republished or reproduced on your blog/website/Magazine, Kindly contact with us at contact@agrinfobank.com. In case of copyrights violation a strong action must be taken.

A futuristic approach to establishing healthy citrus orchards

By M Usman and M Monis

Citrus stands second after grapes in the world in terms of area and production. Citrus world leaders include US, Brazil and China. China with 15 percent and Brazil 7.0 percent have much higher area under citrus, however US is leading in per hectare yield producing 31 tonnes per hectare based on better technology and century old citrus nursery certification programmes. Citrus holds 19 percent area under cultivation producing 25 percent of total fruit production in Pakistan. However, static yield 8-10 tonnes per hectare of citrus for the last 60 years is a big question. In recent past there was slight increase in per hectare yield 2.0 tonnes per hectare that may be due to better management practices and high density plantations by progressive growers. Similarly if we look at global guava industry, Pakistan is merely producing 8.0 tonnes per hectare as compared with 21-28 tonnes per hectare in Taiwan and Brazil, respectively. Even India is producing 2-3 tonnes per hectare more as compared with Pakistan. In Pakistan 80 percent of the crop is contributed by Punjab province suggesting that this crop is very important for Punjab fruit industry. Pakistan is earning Rs 13.8 billion foreign exchange by guava exports and processing industry is also investing in this sector. However, unfortunately there is a very sharp decline observed both in area (1,800 hecates) and production (3,400 tonnes) from 2007-2011 that needs to ponder. 

Health status of our fruit plant orchards is alarming and poor health leads to early termination of plants productive life leading to a decline in fruit industry. Faulty nurseries, defective management, poor cultural practices, and other biotic and abiotic problems are considered as the major factors for collapse of the fruit industry. Biotic factors include different insects and diseases caused by pathogens like fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses particularly in citrus and guava. Phytophthora, Fusarium sp, Citrus TristezaVirus (CTV) and Citrus Greening Disease (CGD) are major alarming problems to citrus industry in the country and citrus exports have declined to merely 110,000 tonnes during 2007-08. Any damage to citrus and guava industry may yield huge losses to the country’s economy and stakeholders.
The maintenance of fruit industry and establishing new orchards is dependent upon regular availability of healthy and sanitation plant material. Mostly the edible scion cultivars in citrus show less tolerance to soil borne biotic threats and are therefore grafted on tolerant-resistant rootstocks to provide better root system. Like citrus rootstock guava is commercially raised from seeds and guava industry of Pakistan is seedling based. Guava is facing serious decline issue which is directly related to soil borne fungal problems like Phytophthorasp, Fusarium sp and in some cases nematodes. Fusarium sp is reported to cause drooping and wilting of guava leaves in recent studies. Our citrus and guava industry is dependent upon faulty conventional nurseries. There is yet no concept of container grown nursery in guava having sterilised potting media in the nurserymen and the growers. Sanitation situation is comparatively better in citrus since the concept of container-grown nursery is getting popular gradually. Further, Agri-Business Support Fund is also supporting establishment of certified plant nurseries with the help of USAID and many industrialists and progressive growers are trying to establish this highly lucrative business emerging as a future industry. So this is the right time to extend this concept and technology to guava and to other fruit crops to save our fruit plant industry from soil borne disease spread.

Most of our commercial fruit plant nurseries are not following standard sanitation practices thus acting as a source of disease spread particularly soil borne and seed borne diseases in addition to insects and microbial infestations in plants. There is absolutely no concept of media or soil treatment and rootstock seed treatment. Elite guava selections are producing fruit eight to 10 months a year if the growers are not sacrificing summer crop. This consistently regular bearing habit of selected guava cultivars has enhanced fruit growers’ interest in this nutraceutically important fruit crop, which is highly rich source of ascorbic acid as well. Guava growers are fetching good prices for their orchards from the tenants and people are interested to plant new orchards particularly in Southern areas of Punjab from District Faisalabad towards Sadikabad and in Sindh. Shirkpur (Sheikhupura) is the guava hub in Punjab holding great genetic diversity but badly hit by guava decline issue. The root cause of many problems seems to be running nurseries in non-professional traditional ways. The issue could be resolved by providing clean and healthy containerised nursery plants free from soil borne diseases to the progressive growers and establish model nurseries for the stakeholders for demonstration following Florida, California and Australian nursery production models.

Container grown fruit plant nursery offers several advantages over conventional system of plant propagation in the field. Fruit plants can be propagated even in areas with poor soil, improper climate and helps in efficient use of the given space. These plants are easily portable without disturbing the plant root system. Container type and size could be modified according to the crop requirements. Potting media used is highly nutritious and free of soil borne pests thus blocking dissemination of soil borne diseases from nursery to the orchards. Container grown nursery is less labor intensive and provides absolute weed control. Round the year nursery production is possible provided plants are raised in controlled environment.Based on these facts, a similar nursery model has been established in the Institute of Horticultural Sciences funded by joint venture of USDA and Endowment Fund Secretariat, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. A locally fabricated environment-friendly model steam sterilisation unit-first of its kind- has been installed for potting media sterilisation and healthy citrus and guava nursery establishment in plastic containers is in progress. The technology is being transferred to all the stakeholders through training courses, literature and media to promote containerised nursery culture. One of our collaborators has established similar model nursery for mango and citrus in Sadikabad. The resulting orchards will have long productive life, higher yields, quality fruits and provide more income to the farmers and other stakeholders. Conclusively there is dire need to shift from conventional field propagation methods to container grown plant production system in both citrus and guava since ‘prevention is better than cure’.

Courtesy: Daily Time Pakistan

Muhammad Usman Rana (Author)

About Author:

Muhammad Usman Rana Worked at University Of Agriculture Faisalabad, This article of Mr Rana Taken from Daily Time, this article is very informative.

Fruit nutrition facts

Why fruits?

Fruits are nature’s wonderful medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many phyto-nutrients (Plant derived micronutrients). They are an absolute feast to our sight, not just because of their color and flavor but their unique nutrition-profile that help the body stay fit and healthy!

1. Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins, which are essential for optimizing our health.
2. Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward of cholesterol and fats from the body and to get relief from constipation as well.
3. Fruits contain many anti-oxidants like poly-phenolic flavonoids, vitamin-C, and anthocyanins. These compounds, firstly,help human body protected from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly;help the body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level. Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant value, which is something measured by their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or (ORAC).
4. Anthocyanins are flavonoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue-fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberry, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple color. Eating fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties, remove free radicals from the body, and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections, etc. These pigments tend to concentrate just underneath the skin.
5. Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants, which helps the body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and rejuvenating cells, tissues and organs. Their overall benefits are manifold! Fruit nutrition benefits are infinite! You are protecting yourself from minor ailments like wrinkling of skin, hair-fall, and memory loss to major ailments like age-related macular degeneration (AMRD) of the retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis)…etc., andthe list of fruit nutrition benefits never ends!

Here is an impressive list of fruits with complete illustrations of their
health benefits and nutrition facts:

Acai berry	Apple	Apricot
Avocado	Banana	Blackberries
Black currants	Blueberries	Cantaloupe
Cherimoya	Cherry	Chokeberry
Cranberries	Dates	Durian fruit
Figs	Gooseberries	Grapes
Grapefruit	Guava	Jackfruit
Kiwi fruit	Kumquat	Lemon
Loquat fruit	Lychee	Mango fruit
Mangosteen	Mulberries	Orange
Papaya	Passion fruit	Peaches
Pears	Persimmon fruit	Pineapple
Plums	Pomegranate	Quince fruit
Raspberry	Sapodilla (Sapote)	Star fruit
Strawberry	Tangerine	Watermelon

How much fruit nutrition should be included in our daily diet?

Research studies suggest that one may eat any servings of fruits daily. It is recommended to eat at least 2-3 servings of fresh fruits every day.

The term one fruit serving is about 250 g of cleaned, edible-portion of the fruit, excluding discards like peel, seeds, etc.

Include seasonal fruits in the daily diet. Variety of fruit's type, color, and flavor should be encouraged to get maximum health benefits. Yellow and orange color fruits are rich sources of α and β carotenes, zea-xanthin and crypto-xanthin, while blue, black colored like black or blueberries are a good source of poly-phenolic anthocyanin anti-oxidants.

Selection of fruits

To avail maximum fruit nutrition benefits eat organic produce. Many "wild" varieties of berries and "tropical tree" fruits have still not treated with any kind of fertilizers or chemicals and can be readily purchased from local farm owners. Organic fruits tend to be smaller; however, they feature special flavor and richness in vitamins, minerals and stuffed with numerous anti-oxidants.

In the store, however, choose fruits that feature freshness, bright in color and flavor and feel heavy in your hands. Look carefully for blemishes, spots, molds, and signs of insecticide spray. Buy whole fruits instead of section of them (for example, buy a small size watermelon instead of a section of big size melon).

Dry fruits

Dry fruits are rich source of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Consumption of some dry fruits daily enhances the overall bioavailability of nutrients. Try raisins(dried grapes), apricots, dates, figs, tamarind..., which are indeed very good in iron, calcium, zinc, selenium and manganese. In addition, mixing dry fruits with some fresh fruits would help you get vitamin C which in-turn facilitates complete absorption of iron inside the stomach.

How to use fruits?

Barring few fruits like berries, try to wash them soon after shopping. Rinse them in salt water for few minutes and then wash in cool running water until you are satisfied with complete cleanliness. This way, you make sure that the fruit you eat is rid-off dust, sand and any residual chemical spray. Eat them while they are fresh because, certain fruits have very short shelf life and the health benefiting properties of fruit declines with time. If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to get their original flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.

If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to get their original flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.