BER

Indian jujube or Ber is also known as poor man fruit. It is hardy fruit crop suitable for arid region. Ber is rich source of Protein, Vitamin C and minerals. It is a cultivated throughout the country. Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are major ber growing states. It is a common and fourth important fruit crop (after kinnow, mango, Guava) of Punjab state.

It can cultivated on wide range of soil like from shallow to deep, from gravely and sandy to clay soil. It can also grow on marginal and soil that are unfit for cultivation. It can stand with in saline, alkaline soil also in water logging soil to some extent. Deep sandy loam soils with good drainage capacity are ideal soil for ber cultivation.

Early maturing variety

Gola: High yielding, early maturing variety suitable for dry areas. Fruits are round, greenish yellow in color.The fruits get mature in first week of January.
Medium maturing variety

Seb: It has an average weight of 14gms. It gives an average yield of 80 kg/tree. It contains 20.7% soluble solids, 85mg/100gm of Vitamin C and 44% of acidic content. The fruits get mature in last week of January.

Mundia: It has bell shaped fruits which gets yellow in color at maturity. It contains 18.5% soluble solids, 90.7mg/100gm of Vitamin C and 29% of acidic content. It gives an average yield of 125 kg/tree.

Late maturing variety

Umran: Fruits are of oval shape with smooth and glossy skin. Fruits are of golden yellow color and on maturity it changes to chocolate brown. Gets mature in March end to Mid-April. Gives average yield of 150-200 kg per tree.

Kaithli: Fruits are of medium size, oblong, with smooth skin and of greenish yellow color. Ready to harvest in March end. Fruits are of sweet in test. It gives average yield of 75 kg per tree. Get affected with powdery mildew disease.

Other state varieties

ZG 2: Trees are of spreading type. Fruits are of medium size, oblong and of bright green color on ripening. Sweet in test. It is resistive to powdery mildew disease. Ready to harvest in March End. It gives average yield of 150 kg per tree.

Wallaiti: Medium to large size fruits with oval shape. On maturity, color of fruit changes to golden yellow color. Pulp is soft with TSS from 13.8 to 15%. It gives average yield of 114 kg fruits per tree.

Sanaur 2: Fruits are of large size, skin is smooth with golden yellow color. Sweet in test having TSS 19%. Resistant to powdery mildew. Ready to harvest in second fortnight of March. It gives average yield of 150 kg per tree.

Banarasi Kadaka, Mehrun, Parbhani, Elaichi, Sanam 5.
 

It is generally propagated by budding. Katha ber is generally used for raising rootstock. Dip ber seeds in 17-18% salt solution for 24 hour. Then sow seeds in nursery during April month at distance of 15 cm in row and 30 cm between two plants. In 3-4 week germination started and then plant is ready for budding in August month. T-budding is done in June-September Month.

Time of sowing
Transplanting is carried out in February-March or August-September. Defoliate the plant while lifting from nursery for transplantation purpose.

Spacing
Spacing of 7.5 x 7.5 m is used for planting.

Sowing Depth
Before planting dig pit of 60 x 60 x 60 cm and kept open in sun for 15 days. They fill this pit with mixture of soil and cowdung. Then transplant budded plant in it.

Proper and regular annual training and pruning is necessary. Start it from nursery stage. In nursery, ensure that plant having single stem. After transplantation, in field keep head clean upto 30-45 cm with 4-5 strong branches. Prune lower branches and prevent them from spreading on ground. Remove disease, thin, dry and broken branches of previous season. Pruning is carried out when plants are in dormant state i.e from second fortnight of May.
 

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply 10kg/tree Well Decomposed Cowdung for 1 year old crop along with Urea@220gm/tree. Apply 20kg/tree Well Decomposed Cowdung for 2 year old crop along with Urea@440gm/tree. Apply 20kg/tree Well Decomposed Cowdung for 3 year old crop along with Urea@1100gm/tree. Apply 25kg/tree Well Decomposed Cowdung for 4 year old crop along with Urea@1200gm/tree. Apply 30kg/tree Well Decomposed Cowdung for 5years old and above crop along with Urea@1200gm/tree.

Apply whole amount of Cow dung in May month. Apply Urea in two equal parts, First dose should be given in July-August and second dose is applied at after fruit set stage.
 

Spray with Diuron@1.2kg/acre as pre-emergence herbicide in first fortnight of August. The weeds can be controlled as post emergence by Glyphosate@1.2Ltr/acre or Paraquat@1.2Ltr/acre in 200ltr of water when weeds are 15-20 cm in height.

Established trees generally not required frequent irrigation. When plant is in dormant stage, no irrigation is required. At fruit development stage irrigation is essential. At this stage apply irrigation with interval of 3-4 weeks depending upon weather condition. Stop irrigation in second fortnight of March.

Inter crops can be taken during first three - four years. Crops like Gram, Moong and Mash can be taken as intercrop during initial years. These crops give extra income also enriched soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen.

• Pest and their control:
  

Fruit Fly: Serious pest of ber. Females lay eggs below epidermis of young fruits. Later on maggots feed on pulp afterward fruits starts rotting and get drop.

Grow fruit fly tolerant varieties. Remove and destroyed infected fruits away from field. Keep field clean. Take spray of Dimethoate@500ml/300ltr of water in February-March month. 15days before picking, stop spraying of Dimethoate.

Leaf Eating Caterpillar: They feed on leaves and tender fruits and thus affect fruit quality.

At initial stage of infestation, collect caterpillar with hand and destroyed them. Take spray of Carbaryl@750gm/250Ltr of water.

• Disease and their control:
  

Powdery Mildew: White powdery growth is observed on young leaves and also on fruits. In severe condition premature defoliation and fruit drop is observed. Fruit quality get deteriorated and they remain small in size.

Take spray of wettable Sulphur @ 250gm/100ltr of water during flowering stage. If necessary repeat the spray.

 

Leaf Mould: Blackish growth and sooty mould is seen underside of leaves. They give yellow appearance and severe infection they get fall off.

If infestation is observed, take spray of Copper Oxychloride @ 300gm in 100Ltr of water.

 

Black Fruit spot: Small, irregular, black spots observed on ber fruits. Symptoms of disease are seen in February month. In severe infection fruits get drop off.

Start spraying of Mancozeb 75WP @ 250gm per Ltr of water from January month upto mid-February with interval of 10-15days.

First harvest is done within 2 - 3years after planting. Harvesting should be done at right stage of maturity. Avoid over ripening stage, as it decreases quality and test of fruits. Picked when they are of normal size and give ripening color depending upon variety.

Remove damaged and under ripe fruits and do grading depending upon size. After grading do proper packing in Corrugated Fibre Board cartoons or wooden baskets, gunny bags of convenient size.