HOT 121- Introduction to Pomology

1.0 Introduction
Tree crop is one semester course of two credit hours maximum. It will be available to all
students to take towards the module of their Diploma in Horticulture Technology. The
course will consist of which involves basic knowledge in propagation, cultivation, nursery
and field management and uses of major tree crops produced in Nigeria. The materials have
been developed to suit students in Nigeria by adapting more practical examples from the
local environment covering the whole country as much as possible. The intention is for the
students to know the major tree crops and how to produce them and be able to impact the
knowledge to the farmers who are the ultimate target

1.1 Course Objectives

 To Know different types of fruit trees in Nigeria
 To Know the areas of production of various fruit trees crops
 To Understand the botany of fruit tree crops
 To Understand the production techniques of fruit tree crops in Nigeria
 To Understand the production cycle of major fruits tree crops
 To Understand the Economic importance of tree crops in Nigeria

1.2 Pomology
Is the study of fruit, specifically the science of growing fruit and nuts, Pomology is an
important science. Fruit trees are not easy to grow and require specific information on how
to cultivate depending upon the variety and cultivar. Some of this information has been
passed down and some has been improved upon overtime by the work of pomologists.

2.0 Definitions of Tree Crops

Trees crop generally refer to woody plants. They could be Tropical Trees or Temperate
plants. In Nigeria there are over thirty species of tropical tree crops occurring in Nigeria,
only two species Cola acuminata and shea (Butyrospermumparkii) are indigenous to Nigeria.
Some of these crops (oil palm, Cola nitida, Coffee liberica) are West African in origin but
others such as cacao, Coffee arabica, coconut, Citrus spp., cashew, mango, and rubber
(Hevea brasiliensis) are aliens on the West African coast (Eguagie, 1977). Although they
were introduced into Nigeria before the first decade of this century, no serious and
concerted efforts were made to improve their cultivation until 1920-37 when breeding and
selection of high-yielding cacao and oil palm materials were initiated. For example, by 1913
no selection work had been done on the oil palm, natural spontaneous regeneration under
parent palms was the norm. Tree crops in our context refer to trees cultivated for their
food, cultural or economic values. These include oil palm, Rubber, Cocoa, Cashew, Mango,
Oranges (Citrus), Plantain, Banana, Coconut, Guava, Pawpaw, Kolanut, Coffee and Parkia.
These are other less prominent local fruit trees which are traditionally cultivated Examples
of such are Irvingia (Bush mango), Bread fruit and Pea trees, etc

2.1 Types of Tree Crops

Broadly speaking, there are two types of Tree crops in Nigeria for our Purpose. Crops that
are mainly cultivated for food and those that are produced for economic reasons. Tree crops
in the former include plantains, bananas, pineapples, pawpaws, parkia, guavas and the
likes. Crops such as oil palm, rubber, cocoa cashew, mangoes, citrus, kola, coffee are
cultivated for their economic value as cash crops both for internal markets and export.

2.2 Origin and Areas of Production

Most of the Fruit tree crops cultivated in Nigeria had their origin from the Tropical Africa,
South America, Asia and Sub tropical regions of the world. Nigeria is one of the distribution
centres for some of the crops, e.g oil palm.
Naturally, most of the fruit tree crops in Nigeria are grown in the southern parts of Nigeria,
but some are adapted to the northern areas through improved cultural and agronomic
practices and availability of modern irrigation systems

Fruit Production in Nigeria

State Citrus Cocoa Plantai Banana Pawpa Mango
kola n w
Anambra/Enugu xx x xx xxx x x
Bauchi/Gombe x x xxx
Edo/Delta x xx xxx xx x x
Benue xxx xx x x x
Borno/Yobe
Cross River/Akwa xx xxx xx xx x
Ibom
Adamawa/Tarabo xx x xx xx xxx
Imo xxx xx xx x x
Kaduna x x xx
Kano x x xx
Kwara/Kogi xxx xx x xx xx xx
Lagos xx x x x xx x
Niger xx x x x xx
Ogun xxx xxx xxx xx xx x
Ondo/Ekiti xxx xxx xxx xxx xx x
Oyo/Osun xxx xxx xxx xx xx x
Plateau/Nassarawa xx x x xx
Rivers/Bayesa x xxx xx xx x x
Sokoto/Kebbi x x x xxx
Sources: Summary Fruit Production in Nigeria (Martin 1979)

KEY:

X: Scattered production
XX: Grown generally
XXX: Areas of heavy production

3 Botany of Tree Crops

3.1 Citrus
Botanical Name: Citrus sps. Citrus fruits are a group of fruits comprising of mandarins, sweet
oranges, grape fruit, limes and lemons etc., Citrus fruits have a prominent place among
popular, extensively grown tropical and subtropical fruits. In Nigeria citrus is considered to
be the third most important fruit crop. Citrus fruits are not only delicious and refreshing but
also they provide vitamins, minerals and many other substances. Citrus fruits contain
considerable amounts of Vitamin C. Fruits are also good source of Vitamin and P. The mild
bitterness in juice is due to the presence of glucoside called Naringin which is said to have a
medicinal value. The rind of the citrus fruits is rich in pectin and essential oils

3.2 Cola nut

Botanical Name Kola nut is Cola nitida , a caffeine-containing nut of evergreen trees of the
genus Cola, primarily the species Cola acuminata and Cola nitida. The kola plant belongs to
the cacao family. The classification is in a state of flux. In 2003, it changed its place
from Sterculiaceae to Malvaceae, following the angiosperm phylogeny group Fruits are ripe
after 5–6 weeks. Botanically, they are no nuts but comprise of a set of voluminous warty
follicles gathered into a star, with each follicle containing 5–10 ellipsoid seeds, about 2.5 cm
in diameter and colored red or white depending on the variety.

3.3 Plantain
Botanical Name: major group of banana varieties (genus Musa), Plantain is also a common
name for unrelated plants of the genus Plantago (family Plantaginaceae) that are staple
foods in many tropical areas. The edible fruit of plantain bananas has more starch than the
common dessert banana and is not eaten raw. Because plantains have the most starch
before they ripen, they are usually cooked green, either boiled or fried, in savory dishes. The
ripe fruits are mildly sweet and are often cooked with coconut juice or sugar as a flavouring

3.4 Pawpaw
papaya, (Carica papaya), also called papaw or pawpaw, succulent fruit of a large plant of
the family Caricaceae. Though its origin is rather obscure, the papaya may represent the
fusion of two or more species of Carica native to Mexico and Central America. Today it
is cultivated throughout the tropical world and into the warmest parts of the subtropics. The
papaya fruit is slightly sweet, with an agreeable musky tang, which is more pronounced in
some varieties and in some climates than in others. It is a popular breakfast fruit in many
countries and is also used in salads, pies, sherbets, juices, and confections. The unripe fruit
can be cooked like squash.

3.5 Mango
Mango, (Mangifera indica), member of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae) and one of the
most important and widely  cultivated fruits of the tropical world. The mango tree is
considered indigenous to southern Asia, especially Myanmar and Assam state of India, and
numerous cultivars have been developed. Mangoes are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and D.
4.0 Vegetative Propagation Techniques: 10m
Tree crops are generally propagated by two main methods:- When seedlings are produced
through seeds it is known and called sexual propagation ie seedling production through
seeds. However, in some instances (e.g) bananas) seeds are not normally produced by the
plant and vegetative propagation is the only practical means of establishing seedlings for the
orchard. Vegetative propagation is used, for instance in mango, rubber and citrus as a
means of securing high-yielding, genetically – uniform field plantings. You will realize later
that high yielding plants which are used to produce planting material are often far from
being homozygous (uniforms) so that considerable segregation occurs in seed material (e.g.
oil-palm). This is why you find that many planters prefer to use vegetative materials for
planting even though its production may be tedious. The two main methods of vegetative
propagation

4.1 Sexual Propagation Techniques: 10m

In some crops where there is considerable uniformity, propagation is usually by sexual
method (i.e seedlings are produced by direct seeding). These crops include guava, pawpaw,
cocoa, kolanut and cashew to mention but a few. You will sow the seed in the Nursery
directly and later transplant to the field at appropriate time depending on the crop and
variety.

5.0 Economic importance of tree crops in Nigeria

Agriculture remains the dominant sector in the process of economic, social and industrial
development of Nigeria. Apart from providing the major source of employment for about
60% of the population, agriculture is therefore, an essential step to ensuring the well-being
of the vast majority of the Nigeria population (Adeleke 1994). The Federal Government has
initiated a number of reform programs to restore Agriculture to its position; these programs
have created a number of opportunities and economic importance.

I. Tree Crops Seedling Production:

There exist in Nigeria opportunities for tree crops seedling production to meet estimated
demand. The current seedling production and the estimated demand there are short falls in
production of seedlings to meet the farmer’s demand. Therefore investors can exploit this
opportunity by investing in tree crops seeding production. The selling price of seeding’s
ranges from ten to Five Hundred naira (N10 – N500 only) depending on the seedling

ii. Processing of Tree Crops into Juice

An estimated less than five (5) percent of tree crops produced in Nigeria are processed into
products. Thus, there exists investment opportunities for the processing of tree crops
produce. Investors can therefore engage in any aspect of processing. However, there are
two categories, of processors of tree crops in Nigeria

iii. Export of Fresh tree Fruits

Nigeria exports raw tree produce of cocoa, cashew, rubber, gum arabic and avocado, mostly
to Europe, USA, China and Japan. However Nigeria is not yet a major exporter of fresh fruits
due to two major factors. • The process technology required for the export of fresh fruits is
beyond the capability of the small holding farmers who are the major producers of these
fruits. • Nigerians consume a greater percentage of certain fruits, a situation that leaves
little for export. However, there are about three larger exporter of fresh mangoes. These are
Sebore Farms in Adamawa State, N’Allah Farms in Lafia and Niyya Farms in Kaduna State.
The actual export value of the products cannot be determined. There are opportunities for
investors to export Nigerian fresh tree crops abroad. This can be undertaken with the
collaboration of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council

iv. Opportunities in land survey

Land clearing and soil tests there exists investment opportunities in the area of land survey,
land clearing and soil tests for tree crops development. Professionals can be engaged in any
aspect of these activities.

v. Investment in Agro-Chemicals
One of the major problems confronting tree crops development in Nigeria is lack of good
quality agro-chemicals – herbicides, insecticides and fungicides which are needed for
effective tree crops development. In some cases, when these agro-chemicals are available,
they are adulterated or of low and poor quality. The demand for agro-chemicals in Nigeria is
enormous and expanding. This is because in the last few years as already mentioned, the
Federal Government has encouraged the massive development of agriculture especially
cash crops. This has created demand for agro-chemicals worth several millions of naira.
Investment opportunities now abound for the marketing of agro-chemicals in Nigeria

References
Adeleke A (1994) Investment Opportunities in Small and Medium Scale Agro-Food Enterprises. The
Nigerian Experience. Paper Presented at the Small and Medium Scale Agro-Food Enterprises
International Seminar. IDRC, Dakar, Senegal, September

Eguagie, W. E. (1977). The impact of research on tree crop production in Nigeria.

Agricultural Administration, 4(3), 167–178.

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