Soursop. 

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Growing the soursop fruit from seed

What you need to know:

  • Soursop will grow in wide variety of soils from sandy to clay loams, but it prefers deep soil with good aeration.
  • Good drainage is necessary for good root development, and especially to avoid problems of root diseases.

Annona muricata, known as soursop, is an evergreen tree from the annonaceae family grown in the tropics. The fruits, which grow on trees are large and oval-shaped. 

The green exterior which has spines on it covers a white, fibrous flesh. They grow up to eight inches and can weigh up to three kilogrammes.

The fruit tree does well in the tropics and in Uganda, it grows in the wild but a number of people usually plant them in homesteads 

However experts say since the fruit has a number of health benefits, it is important for farmers to adopt it as commercial plant.

Background
Soursop has its place amongst a unique plant family, Annonaceae, whose members include the cherimoya, custard apple and sugar apple. The trees bear strange looking fruit and are native to tropical regions of the Americas.

Soursop has many uses in traditional medicine and it has been used to treat a wide range of health conditions and ailments. With its strong nutrient profile, it provides a variety of health benefits.

People in the Americas are known to consume it a lot as well as use its fruit for treating parasite infections  because they believe it contains chemicals that might help fight against cancer, as well as bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Benefits of eating soursop

Experts say the plant is high in vitamin C, an antioxidant known to boost immune health. The vitamin strengthens the body immune system, improving its ability to defend against pathogens. 
It also promotes the destruction of free radicals, which can help to protect the skin and cells from environmental oxidative damage.

Common varieties
In a publication Safari Guide about the general agronomy a farmer must observe when growing the tree, the experts  observe that the fruit tree grows well in tropical climate and in Uganda, it can grow well in all parts of the country though there are selected varieties that have been adopted by growers in the country. There are no named varieties in Uganda however these are the some of the internationally named varieties which include Bennet, Cuban fibreless and Morada which is of Brazilian origin.

Soil requirements
Soursop will grow in wide variety of soils from sandy to clay loams, but it prefers deep soil with good aeration with soil pH ranging between 6.0 and 6.5.

Good drainage is necessary for good root development and especially to avoid problems of root diseases.

How to propagate
Soursop can be propagated by seed and vegetatively by grafting. However seeds should be washed and dried before planting and when seeds are planted within 30 days from harvesting there is a 90 percent germination rate in a period of 15-30 days.

How to plant 
Proper planting is one of the important steps in successfully growth of the fruit tree.
Farmers are advised to use cuttings preferably from two years old trees and they are advised to cut straight twigs 8 to 10 inches at a time when the tree is dormant.
Thereafter the cutting is placed in a rooting hormone and then in to a well prepared potting soil.

As usual, use water to keep the cuttings moist and in 8 to 16 weeks, the cuttings shall have rooted.

At this time, farmers can plant the sprouted cuttings as individual landscaping shrub or in rows 8 to 10 ft a part for fruit production or even as wind breaks.

Fruiting 
A rapid grower, soursop trees produce their first crop three to five years from seeding. Seeds stay viable for up to six months but better success is met by planting within 30 days of harvest and seeds will germinate within 15-30 days. Propagation is usually through seeds however, fibreless varieties can be grafted.

Pests and diseases
Soursop is usually attacked by pests such as mealy bugs, scale insects and fruit flies. And farmers are advised to use recommended pesticides to spray the plant. Its common diseases are root rot and anthracnose. These can be treated using fungicides.

Harvesting 
The unripe dark green fruit is covered with an inedible skin with spines. Harvest should be done when the colour lightens and changes to slightly yellowish-green.

At this point the spines shall have softened and the fruit will appear bloated with segmented margins becoming smooth and less noticeable.

Post-harvest consideration should be taken once the fruits are harvested. This is so because the fruit softens in between four and seven days and has a shelf life of another three to five days.

Market
Soursop is a relatively rare fruit in Uganda and this makes its prices a little hyped compared to other fruits on the market. The pulp is also used to make fruit nectar, smoothies, fruit juice drinks as well as candies, sorbets and ice cream flavourings.

The seeds are normally left in the preparation and removed while consuming, unless a blender is used for processing. In some countries they use the leaf in tenderizing meat.

Health benefits
Soursop fruit contains energy building content, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A and C and phosphorus among others. These properties are meant to boost the immune system.
Experts contend that one whole soursop fruit contains around 83 percent of the recommended daily allowance of fibre in the body which is a vital nutrient for digestive health. 

While most research is limited to test-tube studies, soursop may be beneficial in helping to fight and prevent cancer. The extract could reduce the size of breast cancer tumours and kill cancer cells as well as stop formation of leukaemia cells.

Since it contains Antioxidants, they help in fighting free radicals, reducing the damage to the cells caused by oxidative stress. 

One of the side effects of oxidative stress is inflammation. The antioxidants in soursop may, therefore, help to reduce inflammation in the body. 

It also helps in minimising High blood pressure which otherwise could lead to serious issues of heart disease.

Soursop may provide antibacterial effects including strains that cause gum disease and cholera. 

Planting 
Proper planting is one of the important steps in successfully growth of the fruit tree.

Farmers are advised to use cuttings preferably from two years old trees and they are advised to cut straight twigs 8 to 10 inches at a time when the tree is dormant.

Thereafter the cutting is placed in a rooting hormone and then in to a well prepared potting soil.