Breadfruit / Kadachakka (Root Cutting) Plant

The breadfruit is a remarkable food: The prickly football-size pod is full of nutrients and energy

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family originating in the South Pacific and that was eventually spread to the rest of Oceania.

An evergreen tree (12-15 m up to 21 m), breadfruit tends to have a denser, more spreading canopy than breadnut. Leaves (15-60 cm or longer) are almost entirely to deeply dissected with 1-6 pairs of lobes. Fruit (10-30 cm long × 9-20 cm wide) vary in shape, size, and skin texture. They are usually round, oval, or oblong weighing 0.25-6 kg. Skin texture ranges from smooth to rough to spiny.

Breadfruit is very rich in starch, which transforms into sugars when very ripe. Before being eaten, the fruits are roasted, baked, fried, or boiled. When cooked, the taste of moderately ripe breadfruit is described as potato-like, or similar to freshly baked bread.

MAINTENANCE OF THE PLANTATION
Once a plantation has been established, the work should not be considered finished. It will be necessary, for example, to protect the plantation against weather, fire, insects and fungi, and animals. A variety of cultural treatments also may be required to meet the purpose of the plantation.

FERTILIZING
There is no exclusive fertilizer recommendation for breadfruit. Organic manure @ 25 kg/tree can be applied. Depending upon the age of the plant, NPK mixture (7:10:5) @1- 2kg/plant can be applied.

WATERING AND WEED CONTROL
Young fig trees should be watered regularly until fully established. In dry western climates, water mature trees deeply at least every one or two weeks. Desert gardeners may have to water more frequently. Mulch the soil around the trees to conserve moisture. Weeding is also very important. Remove all weeds 1.5 meters around the plant.

PRUNING AND SHAPE OF TREE
Breadfruits are pruned annually. Pruning breadfruit annually will help keep the trees in the proper shape and good harvesting height, along with encouraging vigorous growth. If you would like shorter, more “bushy” trees with lateral branching, you could begin pruning earlier. Trim the main leader and other branch tips once the trees have reached 5-6 feet (1.5-2 meters) to encourage lateral branching. As with other nursery crops, regular pruning allows a grower to shape the plant to an optimal commercial height that will promote healthy growth as well as facilitate easy harvesting. Prune and fertilize after a major harvest to avoid a delay in fruiting.

PEST & DISEASE BREADFRUIT TREES
Every fruit tree has the future potential for disease and insect damage. Factors such as location and weather will play a part in which issues your tree encounters. If available, disease-resistant trees are the best option for easy care; and for all trees, proper maintenance (such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, spraying, weeding, and fall cleanup) can help keep most insects and diseases at bay.

HARVESTING YOUR BREADFRUIT
The fruits are harvested 60-90 days after the emergence of the inflorescence. Fruits are available during February-March and June-August. A fully grown tree can yield about 500-2,000 fruits, weighing 1-4 kg each.