Typical yield
13.3 t/ha
Varieties
2
Pest/Disease
7
Seasons
3
Profile
- Growth habit
- tree
- Lifecycle (days)
- perennial
- Primary uses
- Fresh fruit; processing (juice, pulp); medicinal/traditional uses
- Pollination
- insect
- Origin / distribution
- Neotropics; now grown in humid lowland tropics
Environment
Climate
Temp optimal
24–32 °C
Rain optimal
1200–2000 mm/yr
Altitude
0–1200 m
Soil
pH optimal
5.5–6.5
Soil type
Deep, well-drained loam; high organic matter
Farmer Guide
Row spacing
600 cm
Plant spacing
600 cm
Depth
0 cm
Seed rate
kg/ha
Nursery days
Planting: Plant at onset of rains or irrigate; use healthy seedlings/grafts; incorporate compost and starter P.
Transplanting: Stake young trees; mulch; protect from wind; maintain weed-free basins.
Irrigation: Keep evenly moist, especially from flowering to fruit fill; avoid drought to limit fruit drop.
Fertigation: Split N into light feeds; supply K and Ca during fruiting; adjust via soil/leaf tests.
Pest scouting: Scout for fruit flies, mealybugs/scales, anthracnose; prune to open canopy; sanitize fallen fruit.
Pruning/Training: Form an open center or modified leader; remove crossing and shaded interior wood.
Harvest: Harvest when spines flatten and fruit turns dull green; handle carefully; climacteric—ripens off tree.
Postharvest: Cool promptly; short shelf life (3–5 days at ambient); store 10–15 °C at high RH; minimize bruising.
Nutrient Schedule
| # | Stage | DAP | Product | Rate | Targets (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basal at planting | 0 | Compost + DAP 18-46-0 (light) | 5 kg/tree (compost) + 100 g DAP | N: —, P₂O₅: 10, K₂O: — | Mix in backfill; keep away from stem |
| 2 | Vegetative split N | 90 | CAN 26% N | 150 g/tree | N: 10, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: — | Apply in ring under canopy; water in |
| 3 | Pre-bloom balanced feed | 300 | NPK 17-17-17 | 200 g/tree | N: 10, P₂O₅: 10, K₂O: 10 | Light dose before flowering |
| 4 | Fruit fill K boost | 360 | Sulfate of potash (SOP) | 250 g/tree | N: —, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: 15 | Prefer SOP for fruit quality |
| 5 | Micronutrient foliar (opt.) | 320 | Ca/B/Zn foliar (as label) | 0 — | N: —, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: — | Apply cool hours; supports set/skin |
Nutrient Requirements
| Nutrient | Stage | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | Basal | 50 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Basal | 30 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Basal | 70 | kg/ha |
| N | Establishment | 20 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Establishment | 20 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Establishment | 20 | kg/ha |
| N | Vegetative | 40 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Vegetative | 30 | kg/ha |
| N | Flower_set | 15 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Flower_set | 20 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Flower_set | 30 | kg/ha |
| N | Fruit_fill | 10 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Fruit_fill | 40 | kg/ha |
| N | Maintenance | 30 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Maintenance | 10 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Maintenance | 30 | kg/ha |
Images
| Name | Country | Maturity | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Soursop | KE | 900 | Aromatic pulp |
| Local soursop selection | TZ | 900 | Coastal adaptation; good pulp yield |
| Stage | Product | Rate (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basal | Compost (well-decomposed) | 5000 | Mulch rings/basins |
| Vegetative | CAN 26% N | 80 | Split 2–3× per year on young trees |
| Fruit fill | Sulfate of potash (SOP) | 60 | Boost K for fruit quality |
| Name | Type | Symptoms | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit fly | pest | Maggots in fruit | Baiting; bagging; sanitation |
| Fruit flies (Tephritidae) | pest | Stings; larval tunnels; fruit drop | Protein baiting, field sanitation, fruit bagging, timely harvest |
| Mealybugs & scales | pest | Honeydew; sooty mold; twig decline | Prune for airflow; control ants; oils/soft insecticides; conserve predators |
| Anthracnose (Colletotrichum) | disease | Leaf/fruit lesions; postharvest decay | Open canopy; protectants in wet periods; careful handling |
| Phytophthora root/collar rot | disease | Cankers; wilting; tree decline | Excellent drainage; avoid trunk wetting; phosphonates if needed |
| Fruit borers (Lepidoptera) | pest | Bored fruit; frass | Field sanitation; bagging; targeted control |
| Root-knot nematodes | pest | Galled roots; stunting | Organic matter; rotations/cover crops; tolerant rootstocks where available |
| System | Typical | Min | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| orchard | 12 | 6 | 20 | |
| smallholder rainfed | 10 | 6 | 15 | Mature orchards; 40–60 kg/tree typical where well managed |
| irrigated/intensive | 18 | 12 | 25 | Improved cultivars, nutrition, and pruning |
| Country | Region | Planting | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| KE | Coastal lowlands | Mar–Apr | Aug–Dec |
| KE | Coastal lowlands (alt) | Oct–Nov | Mar–Jun |
| TZ | Coastal belt | Mar–Apr | Aug–Dec |
| Country | Region | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| KE | Coastal lowlands | High |
| KE | Cool highlands (>1500 m) | Low |
| KE | Frost-prone uplands | Low |
| TZ | Coastal belt & islands | High |
| UG | Warm lowlands (lake shore) | Medium |