ISHS Acta Horticulturae 160: III International Symposium on Research and Development on Orchard and Plantation Systems
A MEADOW ORCHARD WITH CARICA PENTAGONA (BABACO) |
| Author: | H.J. van Oosten |
| Abstract:
During a recent visit to Ecuador Dr. E. Granges of the research station at Tumbaco (near Quito) showed me his experiments with Carica pentagona (Babaco). Babaco is related to papaya (Carica) and both belong to the family of the Caricaceae. Babaco is only found in the highlands of Equador between 2000–2600 metres. Irrigation and nutrition have a tremendous effect on vigour and productivity of the plants, but even in culture the plants remain smaller than 2 m. Babaco is difficult to propagate and therefore it is budded on papaya and, experimentally, on other Carica species, like C. stipulata. Flowering and production begins about 10 months after planting and continues for six months. In that period about 40 fruits of 1.0–1.4 kg each grow along the stem. Growth and production cease 16 months after planting. Plant size enables very dense arrangements. Several possibilities are studied but the most remarkable is a meadow-orchard design with plants at 1.00 × 1.25 metres giving 8000 plants per hectare. This orchard has a potential of 320 tons per hectare within 16 months after planting. After this period the plants are cut back and new shoots will grow out in order to replace the older ones. Thus, the meadow orchard concept may have remarkable possibilities for a new fruit species. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
