Jack Fruit is not so popular in Kenya, its fruit chunks are cooked, flesh used in fruit juice, salads, soup or made into pickles. Seeds are boiled or roasted and eaten as nuts.
Ecological requirements
Altitude: 400-1200m above sea level
Rainfall: 850-1500m p.a
Soil: rich, deep soil of medium texture
Land Preparation
Clear bushes and tree stumps, remove perennial weeds. Dig holes 1m by 1m 1m at a spacing of 8m or 10m four weeks before planting. Keep the holes open for 2wks and then add 20kg well decomposed organic manure.
Plant propagation
The crop can be propagated using seeds or seedlings raised on nursery. Dried and seeds stored more than one month will not germinate. The seedlings can be grafted or budded.
Direct planting
This calls for fresh and clean seeds. The seeds will take 3-8 weeks to germinate.
Nursery Establishment
Establish nursery near water source and under shade. Sow seeds in line, 30 cm apart. Harden the seedlings to adapt to the conditions prevailing in the main field by reducing watering intervals and removing shade.
Transplanting
Done after 1.5 years for grafted seedlings at a spacing of 8m by 8m for grafted plants, 12m by 12m for un-grafted plants with other crops and around homestead 10m by 10m.
Fertigation
Water the plants immediately after transplanting. Apply 1-3kg of NPK per tree twice a year or alternatively 12kg manure combined with 200g CAN and 400 TSP per tree annually.
Flower induction
Make cuts on the bark or the stem, care should be taken when doing so as many openings may create route for secondary infections.
Pest control
Birds– Most common are the mouse birds, can be controlled through fruit bagging.
Shoot borer caterpillar-Wet the affected parts, bagging of fruits and appropriate pesticides can be used sparingly.
Harvesting
Done 8-10 months after planting if trees raised from seeds. Yield is about 250 fruits per tree annually.
NB:There is need for all crops awareness to farmers as some crops remain Greek to many, this tells that the information flow in the agricultural sector has some gaps that must be filled.
Also read….
http://www.infonet-biovision.org/EnvironmentalHealth/Trees/Jackfruit
12 comments
Where can I find farmers growing jackfruit. I would like to do some research on this fruit.
Hi Dr. Kisili, jack fruit is popular in the coast region particularly Taita taveta (does well in warm areas),it goes by the Common names: Digo (Mfenesi); English (Jackfruit); Giriama (Mfenesi); Luhya (Omufunenzi); Swahili (Mfenesi); Teso (Efenesi). You can also get the fruit at City Market in Parklands, Nairobi. In East Africa it is widely grown in Uganda
A part from Taita Taveta county, is jack fruit also grown in Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties?. I know there are some in Busia and Nyanza region.
Regards
yes. it is also grown in the mentioned regions
is jack fruit fenesi
yes Kavuku. Jack Fruit is fenesi
Thanks for this advise. Where can i get grafted seedlings ? in Kenya or Uganda please
Hi peter, you can get from Uganda contact Aketch on 0753780438 for grafted seedlings and jack fruits in Nairobi
In order to grow jackfruits, rich and well-drained sandy soil is needed. I have read another post that these plants do not tolerate moister stress, this the reason that it gets better results if we grow in the banks of the river. You have written that it should be propagated by seeds if it is planted by seeds it is important to grafting it or it automatically results.
http://naturebring.com
Notably Jack fruit does well where water moisture fluctuations are minimal as its a water loving plant. Well drained sandy soil in the above contest means its free draining, soil that does not allow water logging. Yes. grafted fruit trees take less time to mature so it is recommended.
I grow jackfruit in my area,mumias
Hi you can also get Jackfruit seedlings from KALRO centres in Kibos, Alupe, and Kakamea