Beed Custard Apple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Beed Custard Apple (बीड सीताफळ)[1] | |
|---|---|
| Geographical indication | |
| Description | Beed Custard Apple is a custard apple variety cultivated in Maharashtra |
| Type | Custard Apple |
| Area | Beed district |
| Country | India |
| Registered | 31 May 2016 |
| Official website | ipindia.gov.in |
Beed Custard Apple is a variety of custard apple mainly grown in the Indian State of Maharashtra. It is a common and widely cultivated crop in Ashti, Kaij, Dharur, Manjarsumba, Ambajogai and the Balaghat Range of Beed district in Marathwada region.[2][3][4][5]
Under its Geographical Indication tag, it is referred to as "Beed Custard Apple".[6]
Description
The Beed custard apple, known for its sweet taste, has been a gift from the Balaghat ranges to the Beed district for over four centuries. The high potassium content and micronutrients in the rocky terrain's shallow, gravelly, well-drained soil in Balaghat ranges, particularly around Dharur, Ambajogai, and Ashti, contribute to the distinct taste of Beed custard apples.[8][9][10][11]
The sweetness of Beed custard apples is due to their high Total Sugar (20.12%) and reducing sugar content (17.97%), which is higher than other varieties like Mammoth (16.6%) and Washington (15.7%). The climate in Ambajogai and Dharur, with hot and dry temperatures and low rainfall, is favourable for custard apple production, with a yield of 10.89 kg/Plant.[12][13]
The key features to identify Beed custard apples are their round shape, shiny green external fruit colour, pleasant texture and flavour, and creamy white or yellowish colour of the pulp's wide spaces, visible upon maturity.[2]