Annona muricata - Soursop

Description and Uses

Annona muricata (Soursop) is a tropical tree from Colombia & Venezuela . It is mainly grown for its fruit crops , which have a short shelf life. The crop is harvested by hand picking. It starts flowering after 3 - 5 years. The yield will be 5 fruits/tree/year, but in its top season there will be a yield of 10 to 50 fruits/tree/year. Other crop types include; timber, ornamental, fruit, poison herbicide, . The {missing data} is used as super food . The fruit is used as " high vitamin-C content, anti-convulsant, anti-depressant, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, " with Anonaine (0.01% - 0.50%) as its significant phytochemical. There is A. muricata leaf oil extracted by steam distillation from the tree's fresh leaf yielding 0.20% - 1.50% oil. The tree's wood is called {missing data} and has a density of 390 - 410 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the tree's growing speed is fast, it's energetic value is 4300 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is medium. After 50 years the tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Annona muricata has a lifespan of 70 years.

Environmental limitations

The tree is 9 meters tall with a crown of 7 meters wide. The tree prefers a planting distance of 300 cm and a row distance of 300 cm. It is very fast growing and partial shade tolerant. Annona muricata has a shallow root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the fungi (endo-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen with "any bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s) "not applicable ". The tree's flower-morphology is dioecious and is pollinated by hand. Annona muricata is evergreen and not allelopathic and has no thorns.

Annona muricata thrives in an altitude of 0 to 1400 meters above sea-level (tropical). The minimum temperature is 4°C; optimally between 25 - 34°C. The optimal rainfall is 1800 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 800 - 2000mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 5.0 - 6.0 in a soil texture of loam. To salt it is tolerant to wind intolerant and to fire intolerant.

Pests and Diseases

Annona muricata is susceptible to the following pests: Fenusa dohrnii . And it's susceptible to the following diseases: (missing data) , , .

Seed Propagation

Seeds are epigeous and can be stored for 5 months. There are approximative 1068 seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed:

• (1) Store harvested seeds in water or in the fruit at room temperature
• (2) Soak the seeds overnight in warm water before sowing.
• (3) press the seeds twice its size in the soil soil.