Description

Chemistry and Physiology

Other studies of chicozapote have been conducted, including studies of the physiology and chemistry of this species. After a study of fruits and seeds, Jayaraj et al. (1989) concluded that larger fruit size leads to higher germination rates of seeds. Another study on fruits found that the number of seeds per fruit has an effect on shape (Sulladmath et al. 1978), an important consideration for marketability. Fruits with fewer seeds tended to be oval (less desirable) and fruits with more seeds were round. Rao and Chundawat (1989) also conducted a study on fruits, to examine the changes in respiration and enzyme activity after harvest. Nachegowda et al. (1992) examined symptoms of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium deficiency, so that growers would know when to apply each nutrient. In an attempt to discover easier propagation methods, Bapat and Narayanaswamy (1977) attempted to propagate chicozapote by tissue culture. Although they were able to maintain a culture, organogenesis did not occur. Patil and Patil (1983) studied the salt tolerance of chicozapote, and found it to be similar to the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera).

Chemical studies have also been conducted on the chicozapote. Triterpenoids have been studied in leaves, latex, and tissue culture (Ahmed et al. 1989, Hosomi et al. 1983, Hosomi et al. 1990). A detailed study on the structure of the chicle latex was conducted by Dutton and Kabir (1973). Several researchers have studied the chemical properties of chicozapote fruits. Lakshminarayana and Mathew (1967) analyzed leucoanthocyanins, and Lakshminarayana et al. (1969) found that changes in polyphenols in the fruits changed the flavor. After analyzing the chemical composition of several different cultivars, Shanmugavelu and Srinivason (1973) concluded that chicozapote fruit is a good source of sugar and pectin. Patel and Katrodia (1994) outlined some chemical standards of the fruits that let growers know when they are ready to harvest. In order to accurately determine when fertilizers should be added to the trees, Patange and Patil (1980) conducted a chemical study of the leaves of chicozapote during crop growth.