Dept of Agriculture Development 
SFAC Kerala
Sapota Known by different names such as Chiku, Sapodilla, Bully tree etc.
Native of Mexico.
In tropical America, the latex (Gutta percha) is used for making chewing gum.
Evergreen tree.
A number of Sapotaceae fruits are found in American tropics.
Siderxylon tomentosum grows wild in western Ghats.
Butter lime or West Indian star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)
grows in Baroda.
Casimiroa edulis (White sapota) belongs to Rutaceae.
The tree puts forth vegetative growth year round. Each extension growth terminates in a whorl of flowers. In each whorl there are 20-40 bisexual flowers. Out of these 80-90% are shed
Sapota can grow upto 1200m from MSL.
Warm moist climate is suitable.
Temperature range of 11 to 34 ºC . High temperature causes poor fruit set, fruit drop and sun scorch.
225 -375 cm of Rain / year.
Thrives even in marginal and sub-marginal soils.
It can be grown in all types of soil including alkaline soil, but well drained soil is necessary for good growth.
It can tolerate salt in soil and irrigation water.
For good performance, it prefers deep alluvium or sandy loam, red lateritic soil or medium black soil.
The soil should not have hard pan at 60-90 cm.
Cricket ball, Oval, Kalipatti, Badami, Baramasi, Calcutta Round, Pala and PKM - 1
The season of planting is May - June. Planting should be avoided during the periods of heavy rains.
It is propagated through layers and grafts. Manilkara hexandra (khirni) is the best rootstock for inarching sapota.
Planting is done in pits of 60 x 60 x 60 cm at a square spacing of 7 - 8 m.
For full-grown sapota tree per year is: FYM - 55 kg in May- June N:P2O5:K2O - 500:360:750 g/ tree / year in two equal splits.
Apply the fertilizers in two equal split doses, the first during May-June and the second during August-September. Apply the manures and fertilizers in trenches 30 cm deep taken at a distance of 1m from the base of the tree
Irrigation is necessary during the early stages and in the hot weather. Good crops can be obtained with irrigation.
10-11 irrigations at 80 mm depth in a basin of 3 m diameter.
Optimum is 32 days interval in winter and 18 days in summer
IW : CPE ratio for irrigation is 0.5.
Drip 30-40% saving in water & 70-75% in net income. Two drippers 50 cm away from the tree in initial two years and 4 drippers 1m away till 5 years. Dripper discharge 4 l / hr in winter and 7 hr in summer on alternate days.
Weeding is required regularly. Weedicides can be used at early stages of growth.
No pruning is necessary; but in old trees, lower branches can be removed up to 1 m height.
The tree flowers continuously in several flushes at short intervals throughout the year.
There are two seasons when flowers will be produced profusely i.e., October to November and February to March.
Grafted sapota begins to bear in the third year after planting.
Fruit production increases with age up to 30 years followed by a decline.
Mature fruits, which are dull brown in colour, are harvested and stored for about five days before they are fully ripened for consumption. Ripe fruits can be kept for about 5 - 7 days.
