Propagation and Cultivation Practices

Climatic and Soil Requirements. Pili thrives best in areas where rainfall is almost evenly distributed throughout the year and in sandy loam soil rich in organic matter and in volcanic soils. Being a hardy tree, however it can also grow in marginal lands. It can grow in steep hillsides and even under coconuts.

Propagation. There are two ways of propagating pili seedlings, sexually or asexually such as marcotting, grafting and budding. Pili is generally propagated by seeds. It is a dilecious tree, meaning that the male and female flowers are not present in the same tree. The female productive trees are only known at fruit-bearing age and the seeds from the bearing trees will not necessarily be totally female.

Seed propagation is being discouraged for the following reasons:

• Being a dioecious specie, 50% of the resulting trees would turn out to be male
• The long juvenile period of the seedling trees and high degree of variability in many horticultural characters among seedling trees;
• Pili seeds take an average of 57 days to germinate, about 70 days after sowing the seedling has a pair of mature leaves
• Average seedling trees start fruiting 5 - 6 years after seed germination.

Asexual propagation on the other hand is preferred because it ensures uniformity and true-to-type characters of the selection. It is early maturing 2-4 years. This method also assures uniform plant structure to facilitate cultural management operations. It also enables planting of more productive trees per hectare. Cleft grafting and inarching are recommended for propagating pili asexually. Success ranges from 50-85% depending o the physiological state of mother trees and propagators skill. Grafting operation is usually done in November to February Cleft grafting technique is now proven successful, relatively easy and is gaining popularity for large-scale commercial propagation.

 

Planting. Plant seedlings when the diameter has attained the size of a pencil. Plant at least two seedlings 30 to 40 cm apart per hill. Some male trees are needed as sources of pollen for pollination. Grafted plants/seedlings are planted in the field as soon as the first flush are matured. Hardening of seedlings require at least three-to-six month period prior to planting.

 

Fertilizer Application. Most of the trees in Bicol are allowed to grow untended. Agriculturists, however, say that if the trees are given proper care and adequate fertilizer, faster growth and higher yields will be realized. Apply about 100 to 15o grams of nitrogen fertilizer per hill at least twice a year after ring weeding within the first three years after planting, and apply complete fertilizer (14-14-14) from the fourth year onward.

 

Pest and Diseases. The most common pests are the twig borers (Niphonclea albata News) and (Niphonoclea capito Pasc.) and gray mealy bugs (Ferrisia virgata CK 11.). "Tiyangaw" a rice pest, was also observed. Borers hatch inside a stem eat anf grow there as caterpillars. The presence of borers is indicated by the sudden wilting of plant tops. Pest attack can be controlled by spraying with insecticide. Occurrence of pest attack and diseases is negligible so as to cause concern.

 

Harvesting. Harvesting is usually done during the months of May to October. The maturity index for pili nut is the full purplish black pulp of the whole nut. Pili fruits in cluster do not mature at the same time. Therefore, harvest only the ripened fruits. Harvesting matured fruits is done by priming or picking only the ripe fruits. A long pole, a cutter or knife and a basket may be used.

 

Harvested fruits are placed in baskets or sacks. If the pulp of the fruit is intended to be sold for food purposes, harvesting is done late in the afternoon or early in the morning and placed in a well aerated container to prevent softening of the pulp.

 

To facilitate the gathering or collection and for high recovery of fallen fruits, the following strategy can be done.

1. Clean the area corresponding to the canopy of the tree
2. Spread a straw mat or net around the tree