Tamarillo
Tamarillo | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Solanales |
Family: | Solanaceae |
Genus: | Solanum |
Species: | S. betaceum
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Binomial name | |
Solanum betaceum | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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The tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) is a small tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Solanaceae (the nightshade family). It is best known as the species that bears the tamarillo, an egg-shaped edible fruit.[2] It is also known as the tree tomato,[3] tomate de árbol, tomate andino, tomate serrano, blood fruit, poor man's tomatoe, tomate de yuca, tomate de españa, sachatomate, berenjena, chilto and tamamoro in South America, tyamtar, rambheda or rukh tamatar (lit. tree tomatoes) in Nepal, and terong Belanda (Dutch eggplant) in Indonesia. It is popular globally, especially in Peru, Colombia, New Zealand, Ecuador, Nepal, Rwanda, Burundi, Australia, Bhutan and the United States.
Description
Plant origin and regions of cultivation
The tamarillo is native to the
The tree tomato is a fruit harvested permanently in Colombia, the average annual production exceeds 150,000 tons. Antioquia has the largest number of hectares planted with La Meseta being the place where more than 900 hectares are located and from which the main cities of the country are supplied.[citation needed]
In 1993, in New Zealand, about 2,000 tons were produced on 200 hectares of land and exported to the United States. By 2020, there was a decrease from 150 after the discovery of the tomato potato psyllid (TPP) in 2006. This was reflected in a corresponding reduction in volume from 800 tonnes worth $3.5 million, to 250 tonnes valued at $1.3 million at that time. In 2021, growers sold 414 tonnes through the domestic wholesalers at a value of $3.1 million, and 8 tonnes exported to the USA from two growers at a value of $0.02 million.Japan[6] and Europe. For the export, the existing marketing channels developed for the kiwifruit are used.[4]
The first internationally marketed crop of tamarillos in Australia was produced around 1996.
The tamarillo is also successfully grown at higher elevations of Malaysia and the Philippines, Ethiopia and in Puerto Rico.[5] In the hot tropical lowlands, it develops only small fruits and fruit setting is seldom.
Prior to 1967, the fruit was known as the 'tree tomato', but the New Zealand Tree Tomato Promotions Council dubbed it the 'tamarillo' in order to distinguish it from the ordinary garden tomato and increase its exotic appeal.[2] However, the name 'tamarillo' is not universally used, and this plant has a different name in many regions.
Plant
The plant is a fast-growing
Fruit
The fruits are egg-shaped and about 4-10 centimeters long. Their color varies from yellow and orange to red and almost purple. Sometimes they have dark, longitudinal stripes. Red fruits are more sour, yellow and orange fruits are sweeter. The flesh has a firm texture and contains more and larger seeds than a common
Component [g/100g] | Range | Component [mg/100g] | Range |
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Water content | 81–87 | Vitamin A | 0.32–1.48 |
Proteins | 1.5–2.5 | Vitamin C | 19.7–57.8 |
Fat | 0.05–1.28 | Calcium | 3.9–11.3 |
Fiber | 1.4–6.0 | Magnesium | 19.7–22.3 |
Total acidity | 1.0–2.4 | Iron | 0.4–0.94 |
Cultivation
Soil and climate requirements
The tamarillo prefers a
Growth
Plants grown from cuttings branch out earlier and result in more
The tree grows very quickly and is able to bear fruit after 1.5 to 2 years. will bear more fruit than a typical family can eat in about 3 months.
Tamarillos are suitable for growing as indoor container plants, though their swift growth, their light, water and humidity requirements and their large leaves can pose a challenge to those with limited space.
Plant management
The tamarillo trees are adaptable and very easy to grow. However, some plant management strategies can help to stabilize and improve plant performance.
Planting
Planting distances depend on the growing system. In New Zealand, with mechanized production, single row planting distances of 1 to 1.5 metres between plants and 4.5 to 5 metres between rows are recommended. In traditional growing regions such as the Andean region, plantations are much more dense, with 1.2 to 1.5 metres between plants. Dense planting can be a strategy to protect plants against wind.[4] On poorly drained soils, plants should be planted on ridges.
Pruning
When the tree is about 1 to 1.5 metres in height, it is advisable to cut the roots on one side and lean the tree to the other (in the direction of the midday sun at about 30 to 45 degrees). This allows fruiting branches to grow all along the trunk rather than just at the top.
Mulching
Since the plants are sensitive to drought stress,
Shelter
The plants have to be protected from wind. Their shallow root system does not provide enough stability, and the lateral branches are fragile and break easily when carrying fruits.[4]
Irrigation and fertilization
To maximize and stabilize production, water and nutrient inputs should be provided when needed. The plants need continuous supply of water due to their shallow root system. Drought stress results in a decrease of plant growth, fruit size and productivity.[4] Recommended fertilizer rates per hectare are 170 kg of nitrogen, 45 kg of phosphorus and 130 to 190 kg of potassium for intensive New Zealand production systems. Phosphorus and potassium are applied in the beginning of the season; nitrogen applications are distributed throughout the year.[4]
Pest management
The tamarillo tree is, compared to similar crops such as tomatoes, quite resistant to pests in general. Still, to reduce risk in intensive production systems, some pests have to be controlled to avoid major crop damage. To control pests, the same control methods as for other Solanaceae can be used.
Pests | Further Information | Examples |
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Viruses
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Tamarillo mosaic virus (TaMV) |
Nematodes |
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M. hapla
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Insects |
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tomato worm
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Fungi
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Powdery mildew |
Harvest
Usage
Culinary use
The fruit is eaten by scooping the flesh from a halved fruit. When lightly sugared and chilled, the flesh is used for a breakfast dish. Some people in New Zealand cut the fruit in half, scoop out the pulpy flesh and spread it on toast.[10] Yellow-fruited cultivars have a sweeter flavor, occasionally compared to mango or apricot. The red-fruited variety, which is much more widely cultivated, is more tart, and the savory aftertaste is far more pronounced. In the Northern Hemisphere, tamarillos are most frequently available from July until November, and fruits early in the season tend to be sweeter and less astringent.
They can be made into
In Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, and parts of Indonesia (including Sumatra and Sulawesi), fresh tamarillos are frequently blended together with water and sugar to make a juice. It is also available as a commercially pasteurized purée.
In Nepal, a version of the South American fruit is very popular. It is typically consumed as a chutney or a pickle during the autumn and winter months. It is known as Tyamtar and Ram Bheda. The fruit is boiled or roasted in open fire till the skin breaks and then mashed with chillies, timur, garlic and other spices of choice. Similar to Nepal, the Indian regions of Ooty, Darjeeling and Sikkim also consume Tamarillo. In Northeast India, it is roasted and chutneys are made with it by blending roasted or fried dried or fermented fish, chillies and garlic. In Ecuador, the tamarillo, known as tomate de árbol, is blended with chili peppers to make a hot sauce commonly consumed with local dishes of the Andean region. The sauce is simply referred to as ají and is present at a wide variety of meals in Ecuador.
In Rwanda, tree tomatoes are often served alongside other tropical fruits, such as mango and pineapple.
In Yunnan, China, the Dai people make a tamarillo nanpie, a sauce like dish made with roasted tamarillo, sawtooth coriander, chillies and garlic.
The flesh of the tamarillo is tangy and variably sweet, with a bold and complex flavor, and may be compared to
The tamarillo has been described as having a taste similar to that of a
The red and purple types of fruits are preferred in import countries of Europe: Even though they taste more acidic, their color is favoured by consumers.[4]
Industrial use
The fruits are high in
Prospects
Research and breeding should improve plantation management, fruit quality and postharvest treatment.[6] A better understanding of plant physiology, nutritional requirements of plants and fruit set mechanisms will help to improve growing systems. Breeding goals are to break seed dormancy, to improve sweetness of fruits and to increase yield. For industrial uses, little "stones" of sodium and calcium that occasionally appear in the fruit skin form a problem. Those stones have to be eliminated by breeding.
Naga Tree Tomato
Tamarillo is known as Naga Tree Tomato in
References
- ^ "Solanum betaceum Cav. — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org.
- ^ a b "History". Tamarillo.
- ^ "Solanum betaceum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
- ^ S2CID 83696310.
- ^ S2CID 7132359.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-309-07461-2.
- ^ "Becoming a Grower | Tamarillo Growers Association". Tamarillo.com. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "Tree Tomato". Hort.purdue.edu. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- .
- New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ [1] Archived June 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Four GI-Tagged Products Of Nagaland To Pick Up When You Are There Next, 19 November 2023, retrieved 19 November 2023
- ^ Details 374: Naga Tree Tomato, 19 November 2023
- ^ NGO to transform Nagaland into country's fruit hub, retrieved 19 November 2023
External links
- Audio interview on NPR: "Getting the Taste of the Tamarillo"
- Tamarillo Growers Association Marketing Page
- Tamarillo Fruit Facts - California Rare Fruit Growers Archived 7 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Solanum betaceum. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 August 2007.