Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus, Moraceae) is a multipurpose tree crop that is grown throughout many tropical regions of the world. It is a large monoecious tree producing enormous fruits (technically a multiple fruit) that are borne on the trunk and branches of the tree. With fruits that may be as much as 50cm x 100cm and weigh over 50kg, it is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world. In addition to the fruit being edible, the tree produces high quality timber, and leaves are used for fodder. The fruit may be eaten fresh, cooked, or processed into juices, ice creams, or chips.

The place of origin and wild ancestor of jackfruit is unknown. Jackfruit has been cultivated for millennia and was referred to as early as 300 B.C.E. by Theophrastus. It is now so widely cultivated that the region in which it is indigenous and its wild progenitor is unclear. Today it can be found in cultivation at low elevations from the Indian subcontinent through Bangladesh, Myanmar, into southern China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Oceania. It is also commonly cultivated in the Philippines, and has been introduced throughout Africa and the Neotropics. It is native to the Indo-Malaysian region and is more specifically considered to have originated from the Western Ghats of India, however this has not been researched. Ongoing research by Nyree Zerega is investigating the origins and diversity of jackfruit throughout its current range. This is being funded through NSF Award 0919119. Findings will be reported here as they become available.

Jackfruit in Bangladesh

Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh. A wide and undocumented diversity of jackfruit has been observed throughout the country, but little attention has been paid to the documentation and conservation of its genetic resources. Ongoing collaborative work at the Chicago Botanic Garden (Nyree Zerega and Colby Witherup), the University of Rajshahi (M.I. Zuberi and Ruby Khan), and Gono University (Salma Hossain) is investigating genetic diversity of jackfruit in Bangladesh through onsite interviews of jackfruit growers and sellers, tree descriptor information, and DNA fingerprinting (using microsatellites) (Khan et al. 2010). Findings will be reported here as they are availalbe.

Top picture: Dr. Zuberi, Abdur Rahim, and Colby Witherup conducting interviews in the Tangail District of Bangladesh. Left: Jackfruit market in Bangladesh. Right: Preparing jackfruit for transport to market in Bangladesh.

Learn more about jackfruit initiatives and research

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

 

REFERENCES

Khan, R., N.J.C. Zerega, S. Hossain, and M.I. Zuberi. 2010. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) Diversity in Bangladesh: Land Use and Artificial Selection.  Economic Botany 64(2): 124-136.