Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis)

Breadfruit  (Artocarpus altilis) is commonly called as Neer Phanas (नीरफणस) in Marathi & Divkadgi/Jivkadgi (दिवकडगी/जिवकडगी) in Konkani is also a close relative of Jack fruit. Breadfruit tree is much smaller than many other Jack trees. Its leaves too are much larger & have irregular leaf edge. The tree is evergreen & tolerant to coastal saline condition. It is quite a beautiful tree. Its wood is very brittle.

Breadfruit is a compound fruit; each and every thorny outgrowth is one fruit, all fused together. There are two varieties of breadfruit; one being seedless, other with seeds. The seedless variety is 'Artocarpus altilis' & the one with seeds is 'Artocarpus camansi'. This tree belongs to Moraceae family. The seedless variety is much superior to the seeded variety; as it has more fleshy & more tasty core. However, both are used only as vegetable. Taste of ripe fruit is not palatable at all. Mature but unripe fruits are harvested for use. A mature tree can bear as many as 250 fruit in a season. The main fruiting season is at the time of Ganesh Chaturthi. At that time there is great demand for these fruits. Each fruit costs not less than Rs.100/- at that time.

Matured seedless fruit

Ripe seeded variety

Male & female inflorescence is borne separately on the same tree. Seedless variety is propagated with root cuttings only; as it has no seeds. The one with seeds is propagated with seeds. However, commercially seeded variety has no value.