Sapota
Sapota
Scientific name: Manikara zapota
Local name: ‘Sofeda’
Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist)
Kingdom | : Plantae |
Division | : Magnoliophyta |
Class | :Magnoliopsida |
Subclass | : Magnoliidae |
Order | : Magnoliales |
Family | : Sapotaceae |
Genus | :Manikara |
Species | : M. zapota |
Botanical Description of Safeda
Habit: A small evergreen tree with milky latex
Root: Tap root system
Stem: Branches terete, often ending in a spine
Leaf: Simple, sub-opposite or clustered
Inflorescence: A cylindrical spike
Flower: Complete, actinomorphic hermaphrodite
Calyx: Sepal 6
Corolla: Petal 6
Androecium: Stamen 6
Gynoecium: Ovary many celled, style 1, stigma 1
Fruit: Fruit a fleshy berry, usually globose
Chromosome number: 2n=26
Economic Importance
Sweet and delicious edible fruits, highly nutritious. The fruit is used as a preventive against biliousness and attack of fever.
Table 1. Safeda varieties developed by Horticultural Research Center (HRC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur and Germplasm Center (GPC), Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
Serial Number | Name of Variety | Developed by | Year of Release | Planting Season | Yield (t/ha) |
1 | BARI Sofeda-1 | HRC | 2003 | June-September | 18-20 |
2 | BARI Sofeda-2 | HRC | 2003 | June-September | 20-22 |
3 | BARI Sofeda-3 | HRC | 2009 | June-September | 30-35 |
4 | FTIP-BAU Sopheda-1 | GPC, BAU | 2006 | June-September | 16-24 |
5 | FTIP-BAU Sopheda-2 | GPC, BAU | 2006 | June-September | 8-12 |
6 | FTIP-BAU Sopheda-3 | GPC, BAU | 2006 | June-September | 16-24 |