Indian mulberry/ Noni
Morinda citrifolia
Description
General Information :
- Great morinda is a shrub or small tree can grow up to 9 m tall,
- It has large, simple, dark green, shiny and deeply veined leaves.
- The plant flowers and fruits all year round.
- The flowers are small and white.
- The fruit is a multiple fruit that has a pungent odor when ripening,
- It is oval green in color and , the fruit turns yellow then almost white as it ripens.
- It contains many seeds.
Distribution :
- The distribution is scattered in India.
Habitat : Evergreen to Semi Evergreen Forest.
Soil : Noni grows in a very wide range of soils and environment with a notable ability to survive in harsh environments. Noni tolerates a wide range of drainage conditions including seasonal waterlogging, but it prefers free, well drained soils.
Soil pH : 5 - 6.5
Altitude :Up to 1500 m (MSL)
Rainfall :250-4000 mm
Temperature : 20–35°C
Terrain : Plain
Tree Characteristics :
- Initial Shade beater and light demander at the later stages.
Habit : Evergreen Tree
Planting Guidelines
Natural Regeneration :
- Naturally regenerates by seeds.
Artificial Regeneration :
- Seeds, stem or root cuttings and air layering.
Seed collection and Storage :
- Semi – ripe fruits are collected.
- The fruit pulp is mashed and the seeds are removed from the fruit.
- The collected seeds are shade dried and stored in sealed tins.
- Seed rate is 35000 to 45000/kg.
- Germination capacity of fresh seed id 85 – 90%.
Seed Treatment :
- No seed treatment is required.
Nursery Technique :
- The seeds can be sown in raised and shaded nursery beds
- Two leaved seedling are transplanted from nursery beds to polybags.
- Germination begins in 10 days
- Polybags plants about 4-5 months old have a height more than 60cm are suitable for planting.
Plantation technique :
- An appropriate interplant spacing is 3.5 m x 3.5m
- There are 290 noni plants cab be planter per acre
- Pit Size adopted is 30 cm3
Care & Disease Control :
- Young plants less than 3 years old may be pruned back after or during their first production of fruit.
- Pruning of vertical branches of mature plants facilitate fruit harvest. Pruning is an effective means of disrupting conditions conducive to pest and disease outbreaks.
Recommended Harvest :
- The tree starts yielding at an age of three years and the regular yield will be from 5th year onwards.
Yield :
- Annual yields of up to approximately 8,000 kg/ha.
Agro Forestory :
- Intercropping with cereals and perennials is possible (e.g. shade in cofffee).
Major uses :
- Fruit ha huge amount of medicinal value
Market details :
- Approximately Rs.15 to 20 / Kg of fruit.