Introduction

Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana), also known as Indian jujube or Chinese date, is an important fruit crop in arid and semi-arid regions. It is known for its drought resistance, low maintenance requirements, and high economic value. The fruit is consumed fresh, dried, or processed into various products like candy, pickle, juice, and jellies.

• Scientific Name: Ziziphus mauritiana (Indian Jujube), Ziziphus jujuba (Chinese Jujube)
• Family: Rhamnaceae
• Common Names: Ber, Jujube, Indian plum
• Origin: Central Asia
• Uses:
  • Fresh fruit consumption
  • Dried fruit for confectionery
  • Medicinal applications (treatment for ulcers, wounds, and diarrhea)
  • Lac production (host plant for Tachardia lacca)

Origin and Distribution

• Origin: The ber tree is native to India and China.
• Global Distribution: It is widely grown in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, and some parts of Africa.
• Major Growing States in India:
  • Rajasthan
  • Gujarat
  • Punjab
  • Haryana
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Maharashtra
  • Tamil Nadu

Economic Importance

• High Market Demand: The fruit is consumed fresh, dried, or processed into various value-added products.
• Drought Resistance: Ber can thrive in water-scarce regions, making it suitable for dryland farming.

• Nutritional Value:
  • Rich in Vitamin C, which boosts immunity.
  • Contains calcium and iron, essential for bones and blood health.
  • Provides fiber, aiding digestion.

• Medicinal Uses:
  • Used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating digestive disorders, respiratory diseases, and skin problems.
  • The leaves are used as fodder, and the bark has medicinal properties.

• Industrial Uses:
  • Fruit is used in making candies, pickles, beverages, and jams.
  • The wood is used for making agricultural tools and furniture.

Climate Requirements

• Temperature: Grows well in hot and dry conditions, with an ideal temperature range of 20–40°C.
• Rainfall: Requires 50–75 cm of annual rainfall but can tolerate drought.
• Sunlight: Prefers full sunlight for optimum fruit production.
• Frost Sensitivity: Highly sensitive to frost, which can damage flowers and young fruits.

Soil Requirements

• Soil Type: Grows in a wide range of soils, from sandy loam to clay loam.
• pH Range: Best suited for soils with a pH of 5.5–7.5.
• Drainage: Prefers well-drained soils but can tolerate poor soil conditions.
• Soil Fertility: Does not require highly fertile soil; grows well in marginal lands.

Propagation Methods

By Seeds (Sexual Propagation)

• Not commonly used for commercial cultivation.
• Produces highly variable plants with inferior fruit quality.

Vegetative Propagation (Asexual Propagation)

• Budding (T-budding and Ring budding) is the most common method.
• Grafting on rootstocks improves drought resistance and fruit quality.
• Root suckers and cuttings can also be used but are less popular.

Popular Varieties in India

Early-Maturing Varieties

• Gola (high yield, round shape, excellent quality)
• Seb (apple-like appearance, crisp and sweet)

Mid-Season Varieties

• Umran (large-sized, highly juicy, best for processing)
• Banarasi Karka (good for arid regions)

Late-Maturing Varieties

• Illaichi (small-sized, aromatic, high sugar content)
• Mehrun (popular in Maharashtra, used for drying)

Orchard Establishment

Land Preparation

• Plowing and leveling should be done before planting.
• Organic manure (FYM) should be incorporated to improve soil fertility.

Planting Time

• The best time for planting ber is June–July (monsoon) or September–October (post-monsoon).

Spacing and Planting

• Spacing:
  • High-density planting: 5m × 5m (400 plants/ha)
  • Traditional planting: 8m × 8m (156 plants/ha)
• Pit Size: 60 cm × 60 cm × 60 cm
• Pit Filling: Mixture of topsoil + 10-15 kg FYM + 50g of phosphorus fertilizer.

Irrigation Management

• Rainfed Conditions: Requires irrigation only in extreme drought conditions.
• Irrigated Orchards:
  • Young plants: Irrigate every 10–15 days.
  • Fruiting stage: Requires 3–4 irrigations (before flowering, fruit development, and ripening).
• Drip Irrigation: Helps save water and improves fruit quality.

Nutrient Management

• Fertilizer Application (Per Tree Per Year)

• Application Time:
  • Organic manure (FYM) applied before monsoon.
  • Nitrogen applied in two splits (before flowering and during fruiting).

Training and Pruning

• Training: Young trees are trained to a single stem with 4–5 main branches.

• Pruning:
  • Light pruning is done after harvesting to remove old and unproductive branches.
  • Helps improve fruit size and yield.

Pest and Disease Management

Pests of Ber

Fruit Fly (Carpomyia vesuviana)

• Damage:
  • Females puncture young fruits with their ovipositor and lay eggs.
  • Larvae (maggots) feed inside the fruit pulp, causing holes in the rind.
  • Affected fruits become deformed and their growth is stunted.
• Management:
  • Collect and destroy infested fruits.
  • Spray monocrotophos (0.04%) or Rogar 30EC (0.06%).
  • Use a bait spray of 100 ml Malathion 50EC + 1 kg jaggery/sugar in 100 L water (3 sprays at 7-10 day intervals from September to October).
  • Cultivate soil in April-May and apply 10% BHC to destroy pupae.
  • Grow fruit fly-tolerant varieties like Umran and Sanaur.

Bark Eating Caterpillar (Inderbela quadrinotata)

• Damage: Larvae bore holes into the tree trunk while feeding. Trees become stunted, reducing yield potential.
• Management: Remove frassy galleries and paint bark with 0.05% monocrotophos 40EC.

Hairy Caterpillar (Euproctis freterna)

• Damage: Caterpillars feed on leaves, causing defoliation.
• Management: Dust 10% BHC on infested plants. Spray Carbaryl 0.15% a.i..

Ber Beetle or Leaf Chafer (Adorentus pallers)

• Damage: Beetles feed on leaves at night, leaving them with a sieve-like appearance.
• Management: Spray 1 kg carbaryl in 300 L water. Use light traps to attract and control beetles.

Diseases of Ber

Powdery Mildew (Oidium emysiphoides)

• Symptoms: White powdery spots appear on fruits, flowers, and leaves. As the disease progresses, the white spots turn brown, leading to fruit drop.
• Management: Spray Dinocep 0.1% at 15-day intervals after fruit set, preferably at the pea stage.

Harvesting and Yield

• Harvesting Time:
  • Early varieties: December–January
  • Late varieties: February–March
• Yield:
  • Rainfed orchards: 50–80 kg/tree
  • Irrigated orchards: 100–150 kg/tree

The average yild from a 10-20 year old tre would be 100-200 kg/year

• Harvesting Method: Hand-picking at mature green or ripe stage.

Post-Harvest Management

• Storage: Fresh fruits stored at 5–7°C can last for 2–3 weeks.
• Processing: Used for making dry ber, candy, juice, and pickles.
• Packaging: Packed in bamboo baskets or cartons to prevent damage