Ber is believed to be originated in India and chinese countries and also found growing in Burma and Thailand region
Ber is called King of Arid fruits , poor man fruits and poor man apple
The hybrid ber called Apple ber developed in Thailand is making significant changes in the lives of farmers living in semi arid and arid lands through assured yield and significant income. And the farmers in assured irrigation areas are earning huge income out of thei hybrid apple ber cultivation in a hi tech cultivation methods …
In rainfed / Semi arid and arid region you can plant 111 plants per acre
In Assured rrigation area you can grow 65-70 Plants per acre
In a hi tech method you can grow even 450-500 plants per acre with the spacing of 3.6 M by 2.4 M
Even you can plant in a square layout method @ 5M by 5 M with per acre plant population of 160 plants per acre …
This Apple ber if cultivated in rainfed condition will produce yield of 5,000 to 5500 kgs with annual income of INR 1,50,000
If cultivated in an assured irrigation area , the hi tech cultivation method will produce an enhanced yield of 30,000 to 40,000 kgs and annual farm income of around INR 7,50,000 to 10,00,000 per year .
The ber crop generally thrive well in wide range of soil although best result is obtained in clay loam soil and sandy loam soil
In regard to water it does not need much water and it needs water during early establishment phase and just after fruit set .
The Apple ber is producing more fruits in a current season tender branches on leaf axils . So periodic pruning help produce more new branches that in turn produce more flowers and fruits .The flowers are generally hermaphrodite bearing both male and female reproductive parts in the same flowers and pollination is assisted by insects. Cross polination is the order in the ber plant
Before pruning foliar spray of 3% thiourea or potassium nitrate will encourage more bud sprouting and abundant flowers in apple ber
The yield in the first year would be between 25- 40 kgs and it keeps increasing through 50, 70, 100, 160 and even 400 kgs per tree depending on the methods of cultivation followed
The flowering starts in first week of september and fruiting is noticed from November to february and pruning is attended in summer when crop is dormant .
Fertilizer and manure for an adult tree is
Farmyard manure – 50 kgs
Nitrogen – 500 grams
Phosphorus – 400 grams
Pottassium – 400 grams
For young tree in the early growth stage
Farmyard manure – 20-30 kgs
Nitrogen – 50 grams
Phosphorus- 50 grams
The Ber tree has rich medicial uses for human being .It has cure for cancer and AIDS , anti- aging property and useful for pregnanat women .The fruit has emollient and expectorant properties. In sum total entire plant parts from leaves to root is used in human life … The tender branches is also used as cattle feed. The reason is the apple ber does not have thorns .
The canopy can be managed in a pyramid shape so as to create a heavy production wall around the tree that makes harvest easy also and the height of the tree is limited to 10 -12 feet .
The grafted Apple ber seedlings / Shield budded seedlings has great yielding potential .
