Sitaphal

Marathi name: Sitaphal (सीताफळ)
English name: Custard Apple
Classical Name: Amona Retikulha
Sanskrit name: Sitafalam
Hindi name: Sitafal, Shareefa

Custard apple is the fruit of a tree called Annona squamosa, native to tropical America and parts of the #West_Indies.
Spanish merchants brought it to Asia.
The fruit is a sweet fruit with a green color. It contains black seeds. The eyes on the fruit are large enough to break up and ripen. In fact, it is called cold fruit. Later it became apricots like custard apple and then custard apple.
There are about 120 species of Anona in India, six of which are found in India.

Balanagar is a good fruit variety and grows well in our climate and soil. Arka Sahan, Anona Hybrid no. 2, Dharur 3, 6. Oiled Gems, Pink Bulkins High, Ertimoya Washington 10705, Washington 98787 etc. There are castes. Tree about 6 · 50 m. This is a tall deciduous tree.The branches of the custard apple are spreading, but irregular, and the stems are lovable.
Trees live for about 20 years.

Leaves simple, 5–10 cm. The long, transparent dotted, oblong-like (spear-like), short-stemmed, dark green and fleshy, the old leaf has love only on the underside.

Cattle do not eat its leaves because they contain certain types of alkaloids. Custard apple is usually free from diseases and pests

Flowers solitary and leaf front, rarely 2–4 clustered and green in color – May – July. Flower structure. The petals and the underparts are usually three by three, all the petals finally coming together to form a fruit.

The fruit becomes round, nutty, sweet and yellow.

The fruits are green when raw.
The fruit has round eyes and rough skin, with a white marrow inside.
Fruit trees bear fruits after 5-6 years. Fruits ripen in October-November. 113–226 g from each plant per year. Fruits weighing 60-70 are obtained.
This yield can be increased by artificial pollination. The seeds are black, hard, smooth and angular are Fruit-eating birds –

1) Kir Parrot, 2) Tambat Tuiya, 3) Lalbudya Bulbul, 4) Shipai Bulbul, 5) Khar Bulbul, 6) Salunki, 7) Bhangpadi Maina, 8) Pavei Maina, 9) Jangali Maina, 10) Toi , 11) Kuturga, 12) Kurtuk, 13) Rakhi Dhanesh, 14) Phultocha, 15) Reshal Phultocha.

(Note: In some places, 80% of the fruit of this tree is consumed by eating rakhi coriander.)

Planting

Custard apple is cultivated mainly by preparing seedlings from seeds. Soak fresh seeds in water for three days and then sow. The seedlings should be prepared on a mattress or in a polythene bag and planted in a permanent place in the field during the rainy season. These seedlings can survive once the rains have stopped and then grow in the face of drought. They also fill the eyes with custard apple or soften the cuticle. Local custard apple stalks can be used for grafting. In the same way, the growth of custard apple can also be done by using cuttings. However, the growth of cuttings does not happen easily.

Custard apple is cultivated mainly in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In Maharashtra, Beed, Jalgaon, Aurangabad, Parbhani, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Solapur, Satara and Bhandara districts have a large number of custard apple trees. The fruits of Daulatabad and Pune are very tasty. The villages of #Dharur and Balaghat in Marathwada are famous for custard apple.

In Vidarbha, Pawani, Bhandara, Gondia, Washim, Mahur, while in Satara district, # Shirwal, Kavathe, Jawale, Vallehe and certain parts of Khandala Phaltan taluka have started to become famous for successful cultivation of custard apple.

Medicinal_principles

Custard apple contains calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C and B1 and B2. It is also rich in moisture, protein, fat, fiber, starchy foods and natural fruits and sugars. According to Ayurveda, custard apple is cold, sweet juice, biliary, expectorant and thirst quenching. It is also cardiovascular, tonic, tonic, aphrodisiac and sedative.

• Since custard apple is rich in calcium and iron, if custard apple is given to growing boys and girls, their growth will be better and their body will be healthy.
• Custard apple is also good for women’s health. Many women have low blood and calcium levels after childbirth and after forties. Custard apple fills this gap. Custard apple juice is the best medicine for this. It can be used throughout the year.
• If there is weakness in the body after illness or if you feel tired while working, then eating custard apple removes the weakness in the body and creates strength.
• If a lean person is not gaining weight or has lost weight after illness, then eating custard apple increases the weakened muscles and starts gaining weight.
• People who have high heart rate and people who feel scared. If you are experiencing symptoms such as palpitations or chest tightness, then you should eat custard apple to regulate heart function by increasing the strength of heart muscle.
• If you are experiencing symptoms like acid reflux, anorexia, feeling hot in body, burning in chest and stomach, then eat custard apple.
• Usually eat custard apple in the afternoon.
• In case of fainting, crush the leaves of custard apple and extract its juice and put the drops of juice in the nose. The patient regains consciousness.
• Custard apple seed powder is rubbed on the hair while sleeping at night to kill lice and dandruff. Washing the hair with Shikekai in this seed powder makes the hair clean and shiny and does not cause lice and lice.
• Custard apple is usually eaten 1 to 2 hours after a meal. Syrup can be made from custard apple juice. Custard ice cream can also be made.
• Divide custard apple leaves into juice and make a paste of it by adding a little sandhav in it. Apply the paste on the undeveloped wound (bend) and the wound matures quickly.
• In case of diarrhea, custard apple juice should be drunk at short intervals.

Caution –

People who have a cold or cough should not eat custard apple. Also, people with diabetes should not eat custard apple. Eating too much custard apple can lead to weight gain. Therefore, those who work hard as well as those who are obese should eat less custard apple.

References Marathi Vishwakosh Nirmiti Mandal
Collection: – Raj Yerne.