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Jackfruit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Artocarpus heterophyllus)

The jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus or A. heterophylla[1]) is a species of tree in Jackfruit


the mulberry family (Moraceae), which is native to parts of Southern and Southeast
Asia. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh.

It is well suited to tropical lowlands. Its fruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the
world[2], Reaching 80 pounds (36 kg) in weight and up to 36 inches (90 cm) long and
20 inches (50 cm) in diameter[3],

Contents
1 Etymology and names
2 Cultivation and ecology
2.1 Commercial availability
2.2 Jackfruit flesh
3 Dishes and preparations
3.1 Young fruit Jackfruit tree with fruit

4 Wood Scientific classification


5 Cultural significance Kingdom: Plantae
6 See also Division: Magnoliophyta
7 References Class: Magnoliopsida
8 External links
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Tribe: Artocarpeae
Etymology and names
Genus: Artocarpus
Species: A. heterophyllus
The name "Jack fruit" is derived from the Portuguese Jaca[4] , which in turn, is
derived from the Malayalam language term, Chakka.[5] The Portuguese first arrived Binomial name
in India at Cochin on the Malabar Coast. The Malayalam name Chakka was Artocarpus heterophyllus
Lam.
recorded by Hendrik van Rheede (1678–1703) in the Hortus Malabaricus, vol. iii in
Latin. Henry Yule translated the book in Jordanus Catalani's (1678–1703) Mirabilia Synonyms
Descripta: The Wonders of the East.[6]
Artocarpus brasililenis
The fruit is called a variety of names around the world. The common English name L. ex Carl Linnaeus
jackfruit is thought to derive from the Malayalam chakka or cakkai via the Artocarpus heterophylla
[5] Lam. ex Lamarck
Portuguese jaca. This name is used by the physician and naturalist Garcia de Orta
Artocarpus maxixma
in his 1563 book Colóquios dos simples e drogas da India.[7][8] A botanist, Ralph Blanco. ex Blancoi
Randles Stewart suggests that it was named after William Jack (1795–1822), a
Scottish botanist who worked for the East India Company in Bengal, Sumatra and
Malaysia.[9] This is unlikely, as the fruit was called a "Jack" in English before William Jack was born: for instance, in
Dampier's 1699 A new voyage round the world.[10] .

In Hindi the fruit is known as Kathal (कटहल).[11] It is called Kathal ( ) in Bengali or Bangla,[12] Katahar (कटहर) in
Nepali,[13] Panasa (पनस) or Kaṇṭāphal (क टाफल) in Sanskrit and Oriya,[14] Nangka in Bahasa Indonesia,[15], Langka
in Philippine languages,[16] Halasu (హలసు) in Kannada,[17] Panasa (పనస) in Telugu,[14] Pala (பலா) in Tamil[17],
Chakka (k) in Malayalam,[5] Khanoon () in Thai.[18], ; in the Caribbean, it is referred to as Katahar, a skewing
of the Hindi name Katahal.[19] In Chinese, it is called (Boluomi), while its ancient name before Song Dynasty was
(the translation of "Panasa"). In Sri Lanka it is commonly known as Kos or Hera-li, relating to a story of a woman

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who stealthily ate this curry for the first time, when it was prepared for a god, who came to show the food value of this
fruit, to the people.

Cultivation and ecology


The jackfruit has played a significant role in Indian agriculture for centuries.
Archeological findings in India have revealed that jackfruit was cultivated in
India 3000 to 6000 years ago. Findings also indicate that Indian Emperor Ashoka
the Great (274–237 BC) encouraged arbori-horticulture of various fruits
including jackfruit. Varahamihira, the Indian astronomer, mathematician, and
astrologer, wrote a chapter on the treatment of trees in his Brhat Samhita. His
treatise includes a specific reference on grafting to be performed on trees such as
jackfruit.[20]. Jack fruit trees are seen in almost all areas of kerala except sandy
areas. Maturing in 35-40 years, their wood can be used for furniture. The gum
Jackfruit opened from this tree and jack fruit is used as a stopper for small holes of pots.

The jackfruit is considered an invasive species in Brazil, specially in the Tijuca


Forest National Park in Rio de Janeiro. The Tijuca forest is mostly an artificial secondary forest, whose planting began
during the mid-nineteenth century, and jackfruit trees have been a part of the park's flora since its founding. Recently,
the species expanded excessively, due to the fact that its fruits, once they had naturally fallen to the ground and opened,
were eagerly eaten by small mammals such as the common marmoset and the coati. The seeds are dispersed by these
animals, which allows the jackfruit to compete for space with native tree-species. Additionally, as the marmoset and
coati also prey opportunistically on bird's eggs and nestlings, the supply of jackfruit as a ready source of food has
allowed them to expand their populations, which has negatively impacted the local bird population. Between 2002 and
2007, 55,662 jackfruit saplings were destroyed in the Tijuca Forest area in a deliberate culling effort by the park's
management.[21]

Commercial availability

Outside of its countries of origin, fresh jackfruit can be found at Asian food markets especially in Philippines. It is also
extensively cultivated in the Brazilian coastal region, where it is sold in local markets. It is available canned in sugar
syrup, or frozen. Dried jackfruit chips are produced by various manufacturers. In northern Australia, particularly in
Darwin, Australia, jackfruit can be found at outdoor produce markets during the dry season. Outside of countries where
it is grown, jackfruit can be obtained year-round both canned or dried. It has a ripening season in Asia of late Spring to
late Summer.[22]

Jackfruit flesh

The flesh of the jackfruit is starchy, fibrous and is a source of dietary fiber.
Varieties of jackfruit are distinguished according to the characteristics of the
fruits' flesh. In Brazil, three varieties are recognized. These are: jaca-dura, or
"hard" variety, which has firm flesh and the largest fruits that can weigh between
15 and 40 kilograms each; jaca-mole, or "soft" variety, which bears smaller
fruits, with softer and sweeter flesh; and jaca-manteiga, or "butter" variety,
which bears sweet fruits, whose flesh has a consistency intermediate between the
"hard" and "soft" varieties.[23]

Dishes and preparations

Jackfruit depicted by the Polish


Jesuit Michał Boym

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Jackfruit is commonly used in South and Southeast Asian cuisines.[24] It can be eaten
unripe (young) when cooked, or ripe uncooked.[24] The seeds may be boiled or baked
like beans. The taste is similar to chestnuts. The leaves are used as a wrapping for
steamed idlis.

Young fruit

The young fruit is called Polos in Sri Lanka, and it is a wonderful dish with spices to
replace meat curries in Sri Lankan cuisine. The skin of unripe (young) jack fruit must be
pared first and discarded and then the whole fruit can be chopped into edible portions
and cooked to be eaten. The raw young fruit is not edible.[24] Young jackfruit has a mild
flavour and distinctive texture. The cuisines of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam use cooked young jackfruit.[24] In many cultures, Young jackfruit
jackfruit is boiled and used in curries as a staple food.

Wood

Jackfruit Happala from


Bangalore, India

Jackfruit chips

Illustration of the size of


jackfruit

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The wood of the tree is used for the production of musical instruments. In
Indonesia it forms part of the gamelan and in the Philippines, its soft wood is
made into the hull of a kutiyapi, a type of Philippine boat lute. It is also used to
make the body of the Indian drums mridangam and kanjira, the Golden yellow
colured timber with good grains is used for building furniture and house
construction in India.

Jackfruit wood is widely used in the manufacture of furniture, doors and


windows, and in roof construction.

The heartwood of the jackfruit tree is used by Buddhist forest monastics in A kutiyapi, made of jackfruit wood
Southeast Asia as a dye, giving the robes of the monks in those traditions their
distinctive light brown color.[25]

Cultural significance
The Jackfruit is one of the three auspicious fruits of Tamil Nadu, along with
mango and banana.[26]

See also Forest monks wearing robes of


Jackfruit heartwood dye.
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis)
Cempedak (Artocarpus champeden)
Marang (Artocarpus odoratissimus)
Durian
fig (Ficus carica)
List of fruits

References
1. ^ http://www.tropical-biology.org/research/dip/species
/Artocarpus%20heterophyllus.htm
A variety of Jackfruits, called
2. ^ Know and Enjoy Tropical Fruit: Jackfruit, Breadfruit & Relatives
"koozha Chakka", found widely in
(http://www.proscitech.com.au/trop/j.htm)
3. ^ [1] (http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/jackfruit.html)
the Southern Indian state of Kerala
4. ^ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackfruits
5. ^ a b c T. Pradeepkumar, Kumar, Pradeep. Management of Horticultural Crops: Vol.11 Horticulture Science Series
(http://books.google.com/books?id=UuCWMJjOvYUC&pg=PA81&dq=jackfruit+Chakka) , page 81: "The English name
jackfruit is derived from Portuguese jaca, which is derived from Malayalam chakka."
6. ^ http://www.archive.org/stream/mirabiliadescrip00jord#page/12/mode/2up page
7. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989, online edition
8. ^ Anon. (2000) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. (http://www.bartleby.com/61/33
/J0003300.html)
9. ^ "How Did They Die?", Ralph R Stewart, Taxon 33(1):48-52, 1984
10. ^ "The jack or jaca is much like the durian, both in bigness and shape", A new voyage round the world, William Dampier,
1699, p320 (http://books.google.com/books?id=adsNAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA2-PA320&
dq=%22Jack+or+Jaca+is+much+like+the+Durian%22&lr=&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES)
11. ^ Charles Philip Brown (1895). An English and Telugu dictionary explaining the English idioms ... (http://books.google.com
/books?id=UvdMAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA685) , page 685: "it is called kathal in Hindustani"
12. ^ Tulsa Color, Vol2, No3, March 2010 (http://issuu.com/tulsacolor/docs/colormagazine_030110_web-1) , page 6
13. ^ N. P. Manandhar, Sanjay Manandhar. Plants and people of Nepal (http://books.google.com/books?id=klAFeYz4YdYC&
pg=RA1-PA98&dq=jackfruit) , page 98.
14. ^ a b History of India: Historic accounts of India by foreign travellers (http://books.google.com
/books?id=v2oLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA151&dq=jackfruit+Panasa) , Abraham Valentine Williams Jackson, 1907, page 151:
"and the panasa (pan- na-so, or jack-fruit)"
15. ^ A grammar and dictionary of the Malay language (http://books.google.com/books?id=bKwTAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR229) ,
1852, Volume 1 - Page ccxxix
16. ^ The encyclopedia of fruit & nuts (http://books.google.com/books?id=cjHCoMQNkcgC&pg=PA481&dq=jackfruit) , by
Jules Janick, Robert E. Paull, 2008, page 481
17. ^ a b Just For Starters : Selected Projects To Start With 35,00,000 (http://books.google.com

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Jackfruit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artocarpus_heterophyllus

/books?id=qDLCmmW4WBwC&pg=PA106&dq=jackfruit) , Chapter 13: Jackfruit Products


18. ^ The fundamentals of the Thai language (http://books.google.com/books?id=qAIOAAAAYAAJ) , "KANOON. 1-r. (
Arlocarpus integrifdia.) Jack fruit."
19. ^ Jeannette Allsopp (2003), Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, Page 326.
20. ^ Science in India with Special Reference to Agriculture P.M. Tamboli and Y.L. Nene
21. ^ Livia de Almeida, "Guerra contra as jaqueiras" ("War on Jackfruit"), Revista Veja Rio, May the 5th.2007; see also [2]
(http://www.jbrj.gov.br/enbt/posgraduacao/resumos/2008/rodolfo_de_abreu.htm)
22. ^ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/jackfruit_ars.html#Season
23. ^ [3] (http://www.seagri.ba.gov.br/jaca.htm) General information, Department of Agriculture, State of Bahia
24. ^ a b c d The encyclopedia of fruit & nuts, By Jules Janick, Robert E. Paull, pp.481-485
25. ^ Forest Monks and the Nation-state: An Anthropological and Historical Study in Northeast Thailand J.L. Taylor 1993 p218
26. ^ Subrahmanian N, Hikosaka S, Samuel GJ (1997). Tamil social history (http://books.google.com.au
/books?id=PXXsAAAAIAAJ&q=triad+of+famous+auspicious+fruits&dq=triad+of+famous+auspicious+fruits&hl=en&
ei=XcmnS5GHEsqGkAXcie2CAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA) . pp. 88.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=PXXsAAAAIAAJ&q=triad+of+famous+auspicious+fruits&
dq=triad+of+famous+auspicious+fruits&hl=en&ei=XcmnS5GHEsqGkAXcie2CAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&
resnum=1&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA. Retrieved March 23 2010.

External links
Germplasm Resources Information Network: Artocarpus heterophyllus (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html
/taxon.pl?70095)
Fruits of Warm Climates: Jackfruit and Related Species (http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton
/jackfruit_ars.html)
California Rare Fruit Growers: Jackfruit Fruit Facts (http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/jackfruit.html)
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) (http://waynesword.palomar.edu/jackfr1.htm#jackfruit) on Wayne's Word
Jackfruit, flesh of fruit (http://www.thailex.info/THAILEX/THAILEXENG/lexicon/kanoen%20(vruchtvlees).htm)
Science in India with Special Reference to Agriculture (http://www.agri-history.org
/Science%20in%20India%20with%20Special%20Reference%20to%20Agriculture.pdf)
How to Select and Prepare a Jackfruit (Online Video) (http://thaifoodcast.com/asian-ingredients/fruits-
and-vegetables/jackfruit.html)
Jack fruit nutrition facts and health benefits (http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/jack_fruit.html)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit"
Categories: Artocarpus | Medicinal plants | National symbols of Bangladesh | Tropical agriculture | Native crops of India |
Southeast Asian cuisine | Vietnamese ingredients | Flora of the Maldives | Flora of Jamaica | Tropical fruit | Flora of India

This page was last modified on 6 June 2010 at 15:47.


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