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1. Local Name: Belimbing Besi, Belimbing Segi, Belimbing Manis
2. Recommended varieties:
| Clone |
Characteristic |
| B2 |
Large greenish yellow fruit with fine texture, sweet, juicy and with good aroma. The fruits do not keep well and softens easily. The tree is slower growing. |
| B10 |
Large, golden fruit with fine texture, juicy, sweet with good flavour. |
| B17 |
Large, orange colour, broad winged fruit. The flesh is firm, fairly good textured and very sweet. This clone requires a pollinator like B2 to set fruit. |
3. Soil Requirement:
- Flat to very gently sloping terrain with well drained, light to medium textured soil is preferred.
4. Spacing: 6m x 6m (278 trees/ha)
5. Fertiliser application:
|
Year
|
Time of application
|
Type of fertiliser
|
Amount / Stand / Year
(kg)
|
Rate/ Application
(kg)
|
|
0
|
At Planting |
Rock Phosphate
Dolomite
Organic manure |
|
|
|
1
|
Every 2 months
|
15:15:15
|
|
|
|
2
|
Every 3 months
|
12:12:17:2 + TE
|
|
|
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3
|
Every 4 months |
12:12:17:2 + TE |
2.00
|
0.67
|
|
4
|
Every 4 months |
12:12:17:2 + TE
|
3.00
|
1.00
|
| 5 and above |
Every 4 months |
12:12:17:2 + TE |
4.00
|
1.33
|
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In addition, an application of organic manure at 15 to 45 kg/tree/year is recommended.
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Pruning : Prune to an open center system by topping the main stem and allowing 3 to 4 main branches to develop. Another method of tree shaping is also practiced for trees of clone B17 which have long weak branches. In this method three to four branches are trained to grow horizontally on a wire frame. Old trees can be rejuvenated by pollarding the tree back to a metre above ground level and retaining several new branches.
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6. Vegetative Period: 2 years .
7. Economic Life: 20 - 25 years.
8. Yield:
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Age (years)
|
Fruit yield (mt/ha/yr)
|
|
4 - 7
|
40 - 55
|
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8 onwards
|
60 - 70
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9. Pests And Diseases of Starfruit:
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Pests/Diseases
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Symptom
|
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Control
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Pests :
1. Fruit Fly
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The larva feeds in the fruit causing it to rot. |
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1. Bagging of immature fruits.
2. Collect and destroy affected fruits.
3. Trapping with methyl eugenol to reduce the male population.
4. Spray with cypermethrin or fenthion.
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Diseases:
1. Cercospora leaf spot
- caused by fungus, Cercospora averrhoa
-not serious, occurs more under high humidity.
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Small brown to red leaf spots appear first before enlarging to form larger spots with greyish white centres and reddish brown margins. Some spots may coalesce to form irregularly shaped lesions. In severe cases, infected turn yellow and drop prematurely.
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Plant more tolerant cultivars. Cultivar "B17" is more susceptible to the disease. Since currently, only copper oxychloride is the only fungicide registered in Malaysia for use for starfruit, treat the infected plant with this chemical by spraying. Reduce the humidity within the canopy by carrying out selective pruning. Practice good field hygiene by removing the dead leaves.
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2. Pink disease
-caused by fungus, Erythricium salmonicolor.
- serious in high-density planted areas or under shade during high rainfall.
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