Breadfruit

Breadfruit is grown chiefly for its starchy fruit, which is harvested mature but firm and cooked as a staple carbohydrate. The fruit can also be dried and ground into flour, extending its use beyond the fresh season. The tree is a familiar component of Pacific home gardens and agroforestry systems.

Because most cultivated breadfruit is seedless and propagated vegetatively, particular cultivars with desirable fruit and bearing characteristics are maintained and distributed as clones.

Family

Moraceae (fig and mulberry family)

Genus and species

Artocarpus altilis

Growth habit

Large evergreen or semi-deciduous tropical tree with a milky latex and large, deeply lobed leaves

Relatives

Closely related to jackfruit and breadnut within the genus Artocarpus

Breadfruit was domesticated in the western Pacific and New Guinea region and carried across the Pacific by voyaging peoples over thousands of years. It was later introduced to the Caribbean and other tropical regions, where it is now widely grown.

Production is largely for local consumption and is not fully captured in international statistics; available figures are compiled by FAO and national agencies and should be consulted directly.

Breadfruit thrives in the warm, humid lowland tropics with high rainfall and is sensitive to frost, cool temperatures, and prolonged drought. It is best suited to equable tropical climates without severe dry seasons.

Strong winds can damage the large-leaved, spreading trees, so sheltered sites are preferred in cyclone-prone areas.

Breadfruit grows on a range of soils, from deep fertile loams to the sandy and coral soils of Pacific atolls, provided drainage is good. It tolerates some salinity in coastal settings but is sensitive to waterlogging.

Seedless breadfruit is propagated vegetatively, traditionally from root suckers and root cuttings and, increasingly, through tissue culture to distribute selected cultivars widely. Once established, trees require relatively little maintenance beyond weed control, mulching, and pruning.

• Vegetative propagation of selected seedless cultivars (root suckers, cuttings, or tissue culture)
• Site selection for good drainage and, where needed, wind shelter
• Mulching and organic matter to conserve moisture and supply nutrients
• Pruning to manage tree size and ease of harvest

Established breadfruit trees are relatively undemanding, but adequate nutrition, particularly on poor sandy and coral soils, supports growth and fruiting. Organic matter and mulch are widely used to build and maintain fertility in island systems.

Breadfruit is grown mainly under rain-fed conditions in high-rainfall tropics. In drier settings or on rapidly draining sandy and coral soils, irrigation supports establishment and consistent fruiting, and mulching helps conserve moisture.

Fruit rots and anthracnose affect breadfruit, particularly under humid conditions and in ripe fruit, and root rot can occur on poorly drained soils. Good drainage, sanitation, and prompt handling of harvested fruit help limit losses.

Mealybugs, scale insects, and fruit flies are among the pests affecting the tree and fruit. Management relies mainly on healthy planting material, sanitation, and monitoring, with authorized controls used according to their labels where warranted.

Breadfruit is harvested by hand or with picking poles once the fruit is mature but still firm, before it softens and ripens. The fruit is perishable and bruises easily, so careful handling and prompt cooking, processing, or marketing are important.

• Mature fruit roasted, boiled, steamed, or fried as a staple carbohydrate
• Fruit dried and milled into gluten-free flour for longer storage
• Ripe fruit used in sweet dishes; seeds of seeded types eaten cooked
• Timber, latex, and other tree products used in traditional Pacific cultures