How to Plant Sugar Apple Seeds? Latest Planting Method Explained in Detail
Sugar apple, also known as custard apple, sweetsop, and Buddha's head fruit, is a perennial semi-deciduous small tree of the genus Annona in the family Annonaceae. It originated in the tropical regions of the Americas. Besides being grown as a tropical fruit tree, it is also suitable for planting as an ornamental in garden green spaces, producing excellent results whether planted as a specimen or in groups. Now let's take a look at how to plant sugar apple seeds!
Sugar Apple Seed Treatment
When growing sugar apple directly from seedlings, the source of seeds is very important. Seeds should come from large, well-shaped fruits on high-yielding, high-quality mother plants of a superior variety (common sugar apple), and ideally from fruits produced by artificial pollination of the same variety. Wait until the fruit is fully mature, when the skin turns pale green-yellow and the seams between the segments become clearly visible, then harvest and collect the seeds. For raising rootstock for grafting, the requirements for seed collection can be lowered. After removing the seeds, wash them clean, discard shriveled and small seeds, and dry them in the shade before sowing immediately. Seeds to be sown in the following spring must be thoroughly sun-dried, then placed in polyethylene plastic bags and sealed for storage.
Sugar Apple Sowing Time
In areas with higher winter temperatures, sugar apple is best sown immediately after the seeds are collected and dried in August to September. Fresh seeds have a higher germination rate, and the seedlings have a longer growing period, which is conducive to cultivating strong seedlings. To cultivate strong seedlings, before sowing the seeds can be soaked in 200 mg/kg gibberellin for 24 to 36 hours, which can advance emergence by 3 to 5 days. After the seedlings have 6 leaves, spraying the foliage twice with Atonik at 5000 to 6000 times dilution can effectively increase the rate of strong seedlings. Because sugar apple seedlings are relatively sensitive to frost, special attention must be paid to cold protection and insulation for autumn-sown seedlings. In other southern subtropical regions, spring sowing is best, generally after the local low-temperature rainy weather has passed and the weather has become sunny, warm, and relatively stable.
Sugar Apple Sowing Method
Stored sugar apple seeds should be sun-dried before sowing to promote germination. The nursery should be chosen on sunny, well-drained, fertile sandy loam, preferably on gently sloping flat land. Before sowing, the nursery land should be deep-plowed and sun-dried for 1 to 2 months, then decomposed organic fertilizer and a small amount of lime should be applied as base fertilizer, broken up and mixed evenly, and then trenches should be made and beds raised. Both drilling and broadcasting can be used, with 7 to 8 kg of seeds per mu. Cover with river sand or fine soil, press lightly, then water thoroughly and cover with grass or plastic film. The seedbed should be kept moist, but since it also fears waterlogging, great care must be taken to prevent excessive water, which could cause root rot. After germination, uncover the grass or plastic agricultural film to avoid bending the seedlings.
Sugar Apple Seedling Management
1. Watering and fertilizing: During the seedling stage, water about once every 3 days; in case of drought, water once a day. After 6 to 8 leaves appear, apply dilute manure water or 0.5% urea solution, then gradually increase the concentration. In the later nursery stage, potassium fertilizer or compound fertilizer should also be applied as a liquid drench to help cultivate strong seedlings. Weeding and loosening the soil should be done before fertilizing.
2. Pest and disease control: Sugar apple seedlings suffer relatively few insect pests, but diseases occur frequently, especially root rot. Therefore, attention must be paid to control during the seedling stage, preventing excessive shading and waterlogging, and taking care to apply thiophanate-methyl as a drench for prevention.