Introduction
to fruits for wet tropical North Queensland
Patricia Chay-Prove & Roger Goebel, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
Introduction
The wet tropical coast of north-eastern Queensland is one of Australia's most important and diverse landscapes. The warm, frost free climate is the dominant driving force, with annual rainfall between 2000 and 4000 mm.
The first major industries in the wet tropical coast of North Queensland were mining and timber cutting. Mining encouraged exploration but eventually reduced in importance. Timber production has also declined but the cleared areas, particularly the fertile flat lands, opened land up for grazing and crop production.
In the late 1800s, potential crop plants were imtroduced from many other tropical countries. Crops like cotton, flax, rubber, sugar cane, bananas, pineapples, coconut, jackfruit, date palms, mango, pawpaw, tea, coffee and various citrus were just a few of the early crops that generated interest and at various times. Sugar cane has been the big survivor but in its shadow, other crops have contributed to the region's economy.
Table 1. Fruit availability in the Wet Tropics, North Queensland.
Summary of selected fruit crops
Abiu
Abiu is a relatively new crop, from the Amazon area of South America. The trees are medium sized and can produce outstanding heavy crops of an attractive yellow fruit. The demand from this fruit has steadily increased but production is limited by variable fruit quality.
It is a fast growing fruit tree and bearing age appears to be determined by growth rate. Seedlings take about 2 to 5 years to bear while grafted trees take only 1-2 years. Propagation is predominantly by seed.
Varieties include Gray, Inca Gold, Z selections - Z2 and Z4.
Banana
Banana is by far the most economically valuable fruit crop grown. With over
8000ha of in production area, the annual crop is worth approximately $M300
to this area. Average farm size is 15ha and the main variety grown is Cavendish,
a dessert type.
The north Queensland banana industry has grown rapidly over the past 15 years, but periods of low price and damage from cyclones create temporary set backs. Other banana varieties such as Ducasse, Bluggoe, Lady Finger, Sucrier, Plantain and Red Dacca are also grown. Along with banana leaves and flower bells, they have select and expanding markets.
Carambola
Although it was introduced into Australia over a hundred years ago, carambola
is one of the newer crops grown and it is still a relatively small industry.
The fruit originates from the Malay-Indonesia area. The original varieties
introduced were generally smaller and tart compared to the newer introductions.
The fruit is also called the five-corner or star-fruit. Mature fruit is pale
green, yellow or orange in colour. Both mature and immature fruit are sold.
Ripe fruit is in demand for decoration or garnishing like kiwi fruit, while
the green fruit is used as a vegetable, particularly in curries. For eating
fresh the fruit must be harvested mature.
The tree can grow up to 15m high and thrives under a wet, humid environment or irrigated in areas with a distinct dry season. There are several varieties, the more popular ones being Fwang Tung, Arkin, B10 and B12.
Durian
Durian is a tree fruit with a wide reputation. Dubbed the "King of Fruits", the large spiky fruit has a distinct odour that is very persistent and often objectionable to all but the dedicated eaters. Originating from the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia the fruit is highly sought after by those who have cultured a taste for it.
The fruit is round to ovoid with the edible creamy white aril found in each locule segment. One crop is produced each year from mature trees.
The durian industry in Australia is only just establishing itself, but with the range of varieties and the locally developed orchard management methods, it should have an interesting and profitable future.
Granadilla
Locally, this name refers to the giant granadilla only, as most other fruit
in the group are better known as passionfruit. Granadilla have been grown
for many years, and production has steadily dropped to a point where it is
now considered a rare fruit. The fruit is as large as a football and grows
on a vine. Growing the crop is labour intensive and handling the fruit requires
plenty of care, but growers have little trouble in selling good fruit.
Jackfruit
Another big fruit, the jackfruit, is in fact the biggest of all the tree fruits.
It was primarily grown as a windbreak tree around the perimeters of orchards
of other tropical fruits because of its rapid growth and erect habit. Although
ripe jackfruit has many uses the main market line is immature fruit which
is used as a vegetable especially in curry dishes. Ripe jackfruit produces
a very strong, aromatic odour. Mature seeds can be eaten roasted or boiled.
Grafted trees usually fruit in the second year while trees propagated from seed can take four years or longer to bear. There is a big variation in fruit types and although production peaks in summer, some fruit are available throughout the year.
Lime
The two most popular limes grown are the Tahitian and the West Indian lime.
Tahitian lime (see photo at left) produces a larger fruit, which are usually
sold green skinned. West Indian lime produces a small to medium size fruit,
usually sold yellow skinned. Both these varieties are suited to the tropical
coast with the West Indian lime fruit, having a sharper flavour and the tree
having a shorter life expectancy. The smaller West Indian lime has numerous
seeds, while the Tahitian lime has very few seeds.
Lime juice is imported, so demand for local fresh limes is for decoration particularly with seafood and drinks. Limes are slowly replacing lemons as an important culinary ingredient in many spicy dishes. Demand for limes is fairly steady, but production varies. West Indian limes are generally grown from seed, while Tahitian limes are marcotted or grafted.
Interest in growing limes in this region has incresed significantly over the past five years.
Longan
A relatively new tree fruit for north Queensland, the longan (dragon's eye)
has been around for over 100 years. It is closely related to the lychee with
similar growth and fruiting habits. Improved varieties produce fruit of a
much larger size, over 25mm in diameter. Longan fruit has a distinct musky
flavour.
Longans can be propagated by marcotting or grafting. Trees begin to bear fruit in about the fourth year
With the early, mid and late season types production can extend from early January into May. Important cultivars include Kohala, Biew Kiew, Homestead No.1, Chompoo and Haew. Longans must be mature when picked. The fruit is sold for the fresh market, but can be canned or dried.
Lychee
A more established fruit tree crop than longan, lychee is similar in many
respects, requiring a high capital outlay to handle the peak cropping period.
The translucent flesh is sweet and juicy, with a fragrant aroma. Lychee fruit
has potential for processing, with wine-making potential already being realised.
Drier areas along this coastal strip are best for lychees. Temperatures between 28-30oC are ideal but they need a cool and dry autumn and winter, with day/night temperatures between 10-12oC for reliable flower initiation.
Rain periods during flowering can be detrimental. Like many tropical fruits, lychees will require netting to eliminate destruction by birds, bats and fruit piercing moths. Fruit must be picked ripe.
Fruiting usually commences four years after planting. Most lychee trees are from marcotts and require careful management in the first four years to produce a strong vigorous tree. Recommended lychee varieties include Tai So, Kwai May Pink, Fay Zee Siu and Souey Tung.
Mangosteen
No relation to the mango, the mangosteen is strictly a hot wet climate tree.
Often called the purple mangosteen, the fruit is best eaten at the red pink
stage when the flavour is at its best. A regular feature in Asian fruit markets,
the mangosteen is now grown in this area of Australia.
Despite its appeal as a fresh fruit, the commercial culture of mangosteens has not taken off. Its strict climatic requirements, short seed viability, absence of a rapid method of propagation, slow plant growth and long juvenile phase are major limiting factors. First fruiting may begin from 8 years onwards, depending on growth rate, cultural conditions and environment. Poor nutrition and inadequate irrigation can delay fruiting until 15-20 years.
Papaya
Current commercial papaya (papaw) production is based on even sized yellow
fleshed hybrid lines but there are a range of other fruit types, colours and
sizes. The earlier papayas in north Queensland were long and unevenly shaped.
They are used mainly for local consumption. With the improvements in fruit
selection and breeding, freight, packaging and handling, top quality fruit
can be produced and marketed to most areas of Australia throughout the year.
Improved cultural methods have aided larger plantings of papaya to produce
consistent crops more economically.
The major types of papaya grown are the yellow-fleshed dioecious lines and red-fleshed bisexual lines. More than 90% of papayas are grown for the fresh market. Some are sold green immature as a vegetable and some go to processing for drying and chutney.
Papayas start to flower five to eight months from planting and the fruit is ready to harvest five to seven months after that. Commercial harvesting continues for about two years until the trees become too tall to pick easily or tree losses make the block uneconomical. Black spot and phytophthora are the main limiting diseases for the wet tropical coast.
Passionfruit
Passionfruit types: (from left) Panama, Purple Hybrids, and Yellow
Although the wet tropical coast produces yellow passionfruit that is sweet and juicy, the main commercial lines are the purple types and the large Panama variety Selected lines of Panama type fruit bring a premium price as they are a very large, reddish maroon coloured fruit full of sweet pulp. Some selected hybrids also perform well in this area.
Fruiting usually begins six months after planting. Foliage diseases and root rots are a problem for passionfruit particularly in the wet season.
Passionfruit pulp is a major processing commodity but north Queensland production is predominantly for fresh fruit.
Pineapple
One of the first crop imports to this area, the pineapple, has had a long
local history due to the crops ability to be transported long distances with
little or no deterioration to its quality. The main production is based on
the large smooth leaf types. They often out compete southern grown pines due
to the winter production of sweet fruit of high quality.
Pineapples are propagated vegetatively using tops, slips, suckers or plant butts. The first two vegetative parts are the more commonly used methods. Plantings can be done all year round.
Pummelo
The largest of the citrus fruits, the pummelo develops its best flavour when
grown in a hot climate. Many of the original types were extremely large fruit
with very small edible portions. Newer selections are smaller, but heavy and
quite sweet and flavoursome. Pummelo is eaten fresh or used in fruit salads.
The eating quality is strongly influenced by temperature and management inputs including fertiliser and irrigation. Pummelo grafted on pummelo seedling or Troyer citrange rootstocks have a limited commercial advantage over marcotted pummelo.
The main varieties grown are K15, Tahitian and Termat white-fleshed pummelo and the red-fleshed Bosworth Pink and Brigden.
Rambutan
A close relative to lychee and longan, rambutan will only grow in frost-free areas, producing its best crops in hot wet conditions. The fruit, with its long soft spikes is distinctive and very decorative. Trees produce yellow, pink or red round to oval fruit about 5 cm long, that have juicy and delicious pulp around a single seed.
Good crop management practices, well-drained deep soils, use of windbreaks, adequate watering and careful nutrient scheduling will ensure the crop will perform well, yielding up to 20 kg per tree at 4 years and 100 kg per tree at 8 years. However, productivity is reduced significantly if moisture is lacking during pre-flowering periods and while fruit is filling.
The main varieties grown are the large red fruited varieties. Rambutan seeds are short-lived and should be sown directly after extraction and washing. Rambutan varieties are propagated by budding or grafting.
The north Queensland crop is sold on the fresh fruit market and some exported, while processing, particularly drying has some potential.
Star apple
Closely related to the abiu, the star apple or caimito can grow into a large
tree and produce very heavy crops of round soft fruit up to the size of a
baseball. The fruit is often eaten fresh. Grafted star apples begin to fruit
after four years. Seedling trees can take up to ten years to crop and their
fruit are generally small.
The varieties grown commercially are purple/black skinned when ripe, but the larger green skinned types are also very sweet eating. Haitian and Grimal are the most popular varieties grown. For commercial production, the trees are more easily managed when regularly pruned. Selective pruning is also required to increase fruit size as over cropping will result in small unmarketable fruit.
Further information
- Contact the DPI&F Call Centre on 13 25 23 - local call 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday (non-Queensland residents phone 07 3404 6999). E-mail: callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au
- Visit the DPI&Fwebsite www.dpi.qld.gov.au for other DPI&F notes
- Contact the DPI&F bookshop on 07 3239 3772 or DPI&FShop On-line or at some DPI&F offices throughout Queensland for the DPI&F publications
Recommended Reading:
Chay-Prove, P. (1999), Abiu, DPI note, Agdex 238/11.
Chay-Prove, P., Astridge, D. and Vawdrey, L. (2000), Mangosteen Insect Pest and Disease Management. DPI note, Agdex 234/630.
Chay-Prove, P. (1998), Mangosteen General Crop Management. DPI note, Agdex 238/20.
Agrilink. Citrus Information Kit, DPI&F.
Agrilink. Passionfruit Information Kit, DPI&F.
Agrilink. Tropical Banana Information Kit, DPI&F.
Various DPI&F notes on banana.
Tropical Tree Fruits for Australia (1984), compiled by Page, P., Qld. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.
Last updated 12 December 2005
