Loquat Cultivation in India; A complete information Guide
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is believed to be native to China, but its cultivation in Japan has been very popular for a long time. It belongs to the family Rosaceae, to which all important temperate fruits belong. It is mainly grown in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
In South India, it is grown as an ornamental tree. It is an evergreen subtropical tree. It can withstand considerable frost and tropical heat. However, it does not fruit well under these conditions and is grown as an ornamental tree. It does not fruit well in areas with warm winters. It can grow up to an elevation of 2000 meters, but the fruits are of poor quality.
Nutritive Value of Loquat:
100 grams of loquat fruit contains
| Component | Value | Component | Value |
| Calories | 47 k cal | Folate (B9 | 14 mg |
| Protein | 0.43 g | Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| Fat | .2 g | Calcium: | 16 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 12.1 | Iron | 0.28 mg |
| Fiber | 1.7 g | Magnesium | 1.3 mg |
| Vitamin A: | 76 mg | Manganese | 0.148 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.019 mg | Phosphorus | 27 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.024 | Potassium | 266 mg |
| Niacin (B3): | 018 mg | Sodium | 1 mg |
| Vitamin B6: | 0.1 | Zinc | 0.06 |
Soil and Climate Requirements for Loquat Cultivation
Loquat requires subtropical to mild temperate conditions for its growth. The loquat plant is more resistant to heat and drought as compared to cold. Temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius cause chilling injury to the plants
It thrives on different types of soil with good drainage facilities. Well-drained, organic-rich loamy soil with a pH range of 5.8–6.8 is best suited for it.
Promising Varieties for Loquat Cultivation;
A. Based on the time of maturity
Early season varieties (Mature from the middle of March): Golden Yellow, Improved Golden Yellow, Large Round, Pale Yellow, Thames Pride
Midseason varieties (mature from the last week of March):
Early season varieties (Mature from the middle of March): Golden Yellow, Improved Golden Yellow, Large Round, Pale Yellow, Thames Pride
Midseason varieties (mature from the last week of March):
Fire Ball, Improved Pale Yellow, Mammoth, Safeda
Late season varieties (Mature from the middle of April): California Advance and Tanaka
B. Based on self-fruitfulness
Late season varieties (Mature from the middle of April): California Advance and Tanaka
B. Based on self-fruitfulness
Self-unfruitfulness has been observed in loquat varieties. Therefore, a pollenizer variety should be planted along with the main variety. Based on self-fruitfulness, the varieties can be grouped as follows:
Self-incompatible: Golden Yellow, Improved Golden Yellow, Pale Yellow, and Agra Large
Partially self-incompatible: Large Round, Fire Ball, Thames Pride, California Advance, and Tanaka
Self-incompatible: Golden Yellow, Improved Golden Yellow, Pale Yellow, and Agra Large
Partially self-incompatible: Large Round, Fire Ball, Thames Pride, California Advance, and Tanaka
Propagation of Loquat;
Seed Propagation
Traditionally, loquat is propagated through seeds. The loquat plant propagated through seed has a very rapid growth, but the seed-propagated plant has a too long fruit-bearing period and the fruits are inferior in quality as well as having a lot of fruit variability. Hence, seedlings from the seeds are used as a rootstock.
Vegetative Propagation ;
It is generally multiplied by a simple approach to grafting, but ‘T’ budding on the seedling rootstock of loquat is more convenient and successful. Budding can be done in February and September, but preferably in February. Planting
Planting: Plants should be planted during July-August in pits of 1x1x1 meters in size. Plants can also be planted in the spring season if sufficient irrigation facilities are available
It is generally multiplied by a simple approach to grafting, but ‘T’ budding on the seedling rootstock of loquat is more convenient and successful. Budding can be done in February and September, but preferably in February. Planting
Planting: Plants should be planted during July-August in pits of 1x1x1 meters in size. Plants can also be planted in the spring season if sufficient irrigation facilities are available
Spacing: plants should be planted 8 meters apart.
Pruning of the Loquat plant
Annual pruning should be done to regulate the crop. The flowers are borne mostly from July to August. However, flowering continues into January to a small extent. The flowers appearing in October-November give the best crop. Therefore, branches should be trimmed off 5 cm below the tips at the end of the way. This encourages new shoots, which flower during October-November. Removal of some fruits results in better quality of fruits.
Manuring
Loquat plants require heavy fertilization to produce heavy, luxuriant foliage and large amounts of fruit. The recommended fertilizer dose is 750 g N, 300 g P, and 750 g K per year/plant, and should be given up to 3 years of age. In the bearing orchards of loquats, apply 50 kg FYM per plant every year along with other fertilizers. After the plant age of 3 years, fertilizer doses of 1 kg N, 0.5 kg P, and 0.5 kg K per plant per year should be applied. The nutrients should be applied in 20-30 cm deep and 30 cm wide trench along the drip line of the tree. Apply recommended micronutrients if deficiency symptoms are observed. Micronutrient deficiency should be corrected by foliar spray of a particular micronutrient.
Flowering
Flowering in loquat takes place on the new growths in the season. First flowering is observed during August-September, in which most of the flowers drop down and the remaining flowers are considered useless from the fruiting point of view. This is because flowers do not have viable pollen. The second flowering is during October-November, which is valuable from the fruiting point. Fruits from December to January that flower do not develop properly due to early summer. Thus, early fruit setting will result in better fruiting.
Manuring
Loquat plants require heavy fertilization to produce heavy, luxuriant foliage and large amounts of fruit. The recommended fertilizer dose is 750 g N, 300 g P, and 750 g K per year/plant, and should be given up to 3 years of age. In the bearing orchards of loquats, apply 50 kg FYM per plant every year along with other fertilizers. After the plant age of 3 years, fertilizer doses of 1 kg N, 0.5 kg P, and 0.5 kg K per plant per year should be applied. The nutrients should be applied in 20-30 cm deep and 30 cm wide trench along the drip line of the tree. Apply recommended micronutrients if deficiency symptoms are observed. Micronutrient deficiency should be corrected by foliar spray of a particular micronutrient.
Flowering
Flowering in loquat takes place on the new growths in the season. First flowering is observed during August-September, in which most of the flowers drop down and the remaining flowers are considered useless from the fruiting point of view. This is because flowers do not have viable pollen. The second flowering is during October-November, which is valuable from the fruiting point. Fruits from December to January that flower do not develop properly due to early summer. Thus, early fruit setting will result in better fruiting.
Irrigation Management in Loquat Cultivation;
Loquat is an excellent drought-tolerant plant due to its broad, thick, leathery leaves; it just requires sufficient moisture in the soil throughout the growing period. As the loquat tree blossoms early, irrigation before the swelling of blossom buds is essential. Loquat tree requires two or three irrigations during the period of growth to maturity
The fruiting problem in Loquat Cultivation;
A self-sterility problem is found in the varieties, and therefore effective fruiting is possible when they are interplanted; e.g., for the Golden Yellow variety, California Advance acts as a pollinizer. Fruiting will be poor if only a single variety is planted in the orchard.
Harvesting and Yield of Loquat
It takes about four years to flower after planting. Fruits start ripening in the middle of March and continue up to April in later varieties. Fruits are harvested when fully ripe on the tree; otherwise, half-ripened fruits will not develop proper color and flavor. About 20–25 kg is the average yield per tree/year.
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