Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

and distribution systems need to be developed to provide materials to
growers and even to exchange internationally.
7.3.1 Selection
The selection of elite trees is an important step. These trees can be selected
using the following characteristics: acidity of the pulp, content of tartaric
acid and sugar, real value of pulp, pod bearing ability (flowering and fruit
maturing), pod size, pulp, fibre and seed weights, and number of seeds. In
India local farmers usually identify mother trees that consistently produce
large numbers of fruits for their seed collection and propagation. Some of
the trees that have been selected on this basis are reported to have large pods,
25 cm long and 5 cm wide (Jambulingam and Fernandes, 1986).
The major breakthrough in recent years has been the identification of
tamarind types with less acidic pulp, commonly referred to as sweet
tamarinds. In Thailand and the Philippines, farmers are growing the sweet
types on a limited plantation scale and they are also known locally in India.
Selections have been made from natural stands growing in these countries.
In Thailand, more than 50 sweet tamarind cultivars are grown, while in the
Philippines, eight selected cultivars are popular among the farmers. These
sweet types have created a resurgence of interest in many countries of the
Southeast Asian region and encouraged researchers to undertake studies on
tamarind.
The sweet tamarind has been attributed to a point mutation. Occasionally
isolated branches on a tree may bear sweet fruits while others bear normal
sour ones. Bud sports have been propagated vegetatively and form the basis
for a range of recent cultivars.
7.3.2 Participatory improvement
Improvement of multipurpose trees like tamarind should also be
participatory, involving farmers in all phases of the programme. As tamarind
is presently a smallholder crop, this approach is even more important at this
stage, before steps are taken for commercialisation. The local people with
their indigenous knowledge could provide information on why they favour a
particular selection, and characterisation based on users’ perspectives will be
an essential starting point for improvement of tamarind. The preferences will
also vary from country to country. As such the use of Participatory Rapid
Appraisal (PRA) or Diagnosis and Design (D&D) could provide technical
information on reproductive biology, propagation techniques, existing
conservation, management practices and handling and processing
technologies. The approach may be most important for countries which do
not have strong national programmes on genetic improvement of
underutilised tree species.
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