Annona reticulata
Annona reticulata Blanco1.197-cropped.jpg
Custard apple or wild sweetsop
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Annonaceae
Genus: Annona
Species:
A. reticulata
Binomial name
Annona reticulata
Range of Annona reticulata-Native.svg
Native range of A. reticulata
Synonyms

Annona lutescens Saff.[1]
Annona excelsa Kunth
Annona laevis Kunth
Annona longifolia Sessé & Moc.
Annona riparia Kunth

Custard-apple, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 423 kJ (101 kcal)
25.2 g
Dietary fiber 2.4 g
0.6 g
1.7 g
Vitamins Quantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
7%
0.08 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
8%
0.1 mg
Niacin (B3)
3%
0.5 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
3%
0.135 mg
Vitamin B6
17%
0.221 mg
Vitamin C
23%
19.2 mg
Minerals Quantity
%DV†
Calcium
3%
30 mg
Iron
5%
0.71 mg
Magnesium
5%
18 mg
Phosphorus
3%
21 mg
Potassium
8%
382 mg
Sodium
0%
4 mg
Other constituents Quantity
Water 71.5 g
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA FoodData Central

Annona reticulata is a small deciduous or semi-evergreen tree in the plant family Annonaceae and part of the Annonas group.[2] It is best known for its fruit, called custard apple, a common name shared with fruits of several other species in the same genus: A. cherimola[3] and A. squamosa.[4] Its common names include wild sweetsop, soursop and bullock's heart.[5] The fruit is sweet and useful in preparation of desserts, but is generally less popular for eating than that of A. cherimola.[6]

Description

Custard apple for sale at a fruit vendor near Sangareddi, Telangana, India

It is a small deciduous or semi-evergreen tree reaching 8 metres (26 ft) to 10 metres (33 ft) tall with an open, irregular crown.[5][6]

The slender leaves are hairless, straight and pointed at the apex (in some varieties wrinkled), 10 centimetres (3.9 in) to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long and 2 centimetres (0.79 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) wide.[5][6] The yellow-green flowers are generally in clusters of three or four 2 centimetres (0.79 in) to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) diameter, with three long outer petals and three very small inner ones.[5][6] Its pollen is shed as permanent tetrads.[7]

The fruits vary in shape, heart-shaped, spherical, oblong or irregular.[5][6] The size ranges from 7 centimetres (2.8 in) to 12 centimetres (4.7 in), depending on the cultivar. When ripe, the fruit is brown or yellowish, with red highlights and a varying degree of reticulation, depending again on the variety. The flesh varies from juicy and very aromatic to hard with a repulsive taste.[5][6] The flavor is sweet and pleasant, akin to the taste of 'traditional' custard.[6]

Distribution and habitat

Annona reticulata saplings

Possibly a native of the Caribbean[8] and Central America,[1]Annona reticulata is now pantropical[8] and can be found growing between altitudes of 0 metres (0 ft) to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) in areas of Central America that have alternating wet and dry seasons.[5][6] It is cultivated in many tropical countries, and also occurs as feral populations in many parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, and Africa.[5]

It is cultivated and naturalized[8] in many parts of the world including Southeast Asia, Taiwan, India, Australia, and Africa.[1][5][6][9]

Climate

Although the tree grows optimally in tropic conditions, it is also found in subtropical regions. It requires humid conditions (medium to high rainfall).[10] Compared to the other Annonas, it is less drought tolerant. The annual temperature necessary ranges from 17 to 27 °C.[11] It tolerates light night frosts to -2 °C.[5]A. reticulata grows on many soil types with pH ranging from 5 to 8. It does not tolerate waterlogging or when the water table is too high.[5][11]

Cultivation

Seeds can be propagated.[10][11] Other techniques for cultivation are grafting and budding.[10][11][5] The tree produces 45 kg of fruits per year. In Asia, the season lasts from July to September, and in the Caribbean, it runs from February to April.[11]

Uses

Food

Custard apple can be eaten raw, out of hand as a fresh fruit. It is not as popular as the sugar apple or the cherimoya. It can also be prepared as juices, ice-cream or puddings.[10] In India, it is cooked into a sauce.[12]

Propagation

A. reticulata may be grown in home gardens, even though it may not be as popular as the sugar apple (A. squamosa). It has value as rootstock for superior Annona species, such as the sugar apple, especially under humid conditions. It is also a genetic resource for hybridization.[5]

Other

The leaves and the branches can be used for tanning as they contain blue pigments. Wrappers, ornaments and hats can be made from the inner bark. The wood is soft and can be used to make utensiles,[10] even though, it is weak and of bad quality.[11]

Nutrition

In a 100 gram reference amount, custard apple supplies 101 calories, 23% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C and 17% DV of vitamin B6, with no other micronutrients in significant amounts (table).[13] Raw custard apple is 72% water, 25% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat (table).

Risk and impact

Annona reticulata is known to be an invasive plant.[5]A PIER risk assessment gave a score of 11 for the Annona Reticulata. It negatively impacts the population cultivating the crop as all parts of the tree (except the fruit) are toxic, possibly causing problems for human health.[5]

Diseases and pests

The diseases that can spread to Annona reticulata include the Anthracnose, the leaf spot, the diplodia rot and the black canker. The spiral nematode, the stunt nematode and the mealybug can also infect the plant[14]

Aroma and phytochemicals

The fragrant aroma of A. reticulata results from some 180 compounds, including the volatile compounds, alpha-pinene, myrcene, and limonene, among others.[15] The plant is rich in tannins.[6]

Traditional medicine

Various traditional medicine uses have been reported over centuries for its dried fruits, bark, or leaves.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Annona reticulata". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  2. ^ Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). "Plants Profile, Annona reticulata L." The Plants Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  3. ^ "Annona cherimola". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  4. ^ "Annona squamosa". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Annona reticulata (bullock's heart)". CABI. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Julia F. Morton (1987). "Custard apple, Annona reticulata". From Fruits of Warm Climates, 1987; republished by NewCROP, the New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Purdue University. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  7. ^ Walker JW (1971) Pollen Morphology, Phytogeography, and Phylogeny of the Annonaceae. Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, 202: 1–130.
  8. ^ a b c "Annona reticulata Linn. [family Annonaceae]". Global Plants. JSTOR. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  9. ^ Bioversity International. "Result set for: Annonaceae Annona reticulata". New World Fruits Database. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  10. ^ a b c d e Subhadra Bandhu, S. (2001). Underutilized tropical fruits of Thailand.
  11. ^ a b c d e f National Research Council (1989). "Lost crops of the Incas: little-known plants of the Andes with promise for worldwide cultivation". National Academies Press.
  12. ^ "Plantes botaniques". 19 January 2020.
  13. ^ "USDA. US Department of Agriculture".
  14. ^ "Custard Apple Diseases". Vikaspedia. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  15. ^ Pino, JA; Marbot, R; Fuentes, V (18 June 2003). "Characterization of volatiles in bullock's heart (Annona reticulata L.) fruit cultivars from Cuba". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 51 (13): 3836–9. doi:10.1021/jf020733y. ISSN 0021-8561. PMID 12797752.

External links