Ziziphus Mauritiana
Family : Rhamnaceae
Common Name : Indian Plum
English Name : Ber
Hindi Name : Ber
Telugu Name : Regu
Bengali Name : KulVadar
Tree Characteristics :
Indian jujube is a much-branched, evergreen but rather thorny tree with a spreading crown. It grows up to 12 metres tall with a bole 40cm or more in diameterWhere climatic conditions are severe, it is commonly a compact shrub growing only 3 - 4 metres tall The plant is widely cultivated as a fruit crop in southeastern Asia and is also grown in Africa It has the potential to be more widely grown as a commercial crop.
Nursery:
Fruits collected in February to March, depulped and dried in the sun. Unsound and hollow seeds are sorted out by floatation in 18% salt solution. Viability of seed is for 1 to 2 years. Stored seeds germinate better. No. of seeds per Kg. 700 to 1,800; Germination percentage 31 to 95; Period of germination in days 15 to 85; Soaking in cold water for 48 hours; or in conc. H 2SO 4 for 45 minutes; or cracking of the hard outer bony shell. Sowing in primary beds in February to March and then pricked out to polybags after a month when they attain 4-leaf stage.
Economic Uses :
The fruit is eaten raw or preserved. A sourish to sweet flavour depending on the variety.
The fruit can be made into a floury meal,butter,or a cheese like paste,used as a condiment.
The pounded roots are added to drinking water and used to treat indigestion.
Plants have an extensive root system and can be used to aid in the fixation of coastal dune sand.
Good fodder and fuel
The tree is useful as a living fence; its spiny stems and branches deter livestock
