MSc

The present study on "Phenology and fruit characterization of Artocarpus hirsutus La~"
two altitudinal zones of Thrissur district" was conducted in two different zones viz. midlands
(22m above MSL) and lowlands (7.5m above MSL) of Thrissur district. Trees were selected and
monthly observations on phenological parameters were taken. Fruits collected from the two
zones were evaluated for their quality parameters and a comparison was made. Also, mineral
composition of the seeds from the two zones was analyzed and compared.
Artocarpus hirsutus is an evergreen tree with leaf shedding and leaf flushing continuing
throughout the year. The tree starts flowering from November and continues till February which
is followed by fruiting that continues till May-June, Mean height and mean girth for the trees in
the study zones ranged from 16.32 m in midland to 19.50 m in lowland and l.22 m in lowland to
l.41 m in midland respectively. Between the zones, leaf characteristics like leaf length and leaf
width differed significantly ranging from 14.91 cm in midland to 15.86 cm in lowland and 9.83
cm in midland to 10.81 cm in lowland respectively. Physical characteristics of the Artocarpus
hirsutus fruit also varied between these zones. Mean fruit weight, volume, length and diameter
for the two zones ranged from 11l.15 g in midland to 152.43 g in lowland, 83.94 cm ' in midland
to 116.97 ern' in lowland, 69.57 mm in midland to 76 mm in lowland and 57.04 mm in lowland
to 63.19 mm in midland respectively. Correlation matrix revealed a significant and positive
relation among the studied physical parameters. In terms of organoleptic evaluation, fruits
collected from lowland recorded higher scores. Not much variation was observed for
biochemical and mineral attributes of the fruit and seed between the study zones. In the two
study zones, mean moisture, total sugar, starch and fibre content varied from 69.84 per cent in
midland to 70.16 per cent in lowland, 14.21 per cent in midland to 14.9 per cent in lowland,
14.76 per cent in midland to 15.30 per cent in lowland and 2.01 per cent in midland to 2.12 per
cent in lowland respectively. Also, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, reducing sugar, beta
carotene and vitamin C content ranged from 18.68 °Brix in lowland to 19.17 °Brix in midland,
0.69 per cent in lowland to 1.27 per cent in midland, 1l.47 per cent in lowland to 1l.94 per cent
in midland, 2.88 ~g/100g in lowland to 4.30 ~g/100g in midland and 4.89 mgllOOg in lowland to
5.31 mg/l00g in midland respectively. Minerals like phosphorus, potassium, iron and calcium in
the fruit from the different zones were found to be ranging from 45.13 mgll OOg in midland to

47.49 mgllOOg in lowland, 287.35 mgllOOg in midland to 368.76 mgllOOg in lowland, 1.16
mgllOOg in lowland to 1.78 mgllOOg in midland and 15.35 mgllOOg in lowland to 15.83
mgllOOg in midland respectively. Mineral content in the seeds were higher than that in the fruit
pulp with the values in the two zones as phosphorus (69.23 mgllOOg to 88.57 mgIlOOg),
potassium (311.21 mgll OOg to 388.64 mg/] OOg), iron (1.69 mgll OOg to 2.06 mgll OOg) and
calcium (13.08 mg/l00g to 25.10 mgll OOg) respectively. Based on fruit size class, significant
variation was observed within each zone for biochemical and mineral parameters. Overall,
irrespective of the zones nutritional composition of this fruit was found to be almost equal to that
of cultivated jackfruit.
Based on its nutritional composition, this study highlights the significance of underutilized
fruits like Artocarpus hirsutus for commercial exploitation and further widens the scope for
value addition of such fruits involving rural communities who are the major user of such species.