Jackfruit =Food security in Climate change
Why in news?
- Earlier IPCC and World bank warned that climate change will create food shortage & even subsequent wars.
- Researchers say Jackfruit will be useful alternative to wheat, corn and other staple crops, during such food shortage.
- Hence we need to prepare MCQ worthy information about Jackfruit for the UPSC civil service exam.
- Jackfruit originated from India, Then Spread to South Asian countries
- Jackfruit is a member of mulberry family.
- Largest edible fruit, Also called poor man’s fruit
- Can survive drought, frost, pest, high temperature.
- Jackfruit is a dicot plant.
- Jackfruit is unisexual plant.
Unisexual | Bisexual |
Jackfruit, Corn, watermelon, Papaya, Cucumber. | mustard, hibiscus, rose, petunia |
- Jackfruit is an example of “multiple fruit”. Other examples: pineapple, mulberry and fig. Because ovary of multiple flowers are fused together & produce the giant fruit.
- One tree of Jackfruit bears 150-250 fruits. Each weighing between 5 to 45 kilos.
- Even seeds can be eaten.
- High calories but no cholesterol or saturated fat
- Rich in potassium, calcium, and iron.
- Mostly Grown in South western states of India, coastal areas, Himalayan foothills.
- Climate requirement: Humid tropical
- Soil: Sandy, stony, laterite soil
Mattu gulla & Vengeri brinjals
- Although not directly ‘food security’ but these two can also aid because they’re resistant to adverse weather and climate.
- Besides, Hindu has been talking about these brinjal varieties every once in a while so they become automatically sacred and important anyways.
Mattu Gulla | Vengeri Brinjal |
Mattu village, Udipi district, Karnataka | Kerala |
GI tag | — |
Farmers don’t grow it during monsoon because they want to use the farm for paddy (rice) cultivation. | Can be grown throughout year as backyard vegetable |
green color | Purple color |
round ball shape | Cylindrical shape |
Disease resistance | same |
- Northern India’s brinjal = violet-pink color, egg shape. They are “badane” variety.
States with Highest # of GI tags
(As of May 2014)
Karnataka | 32 |
Tamil Nadu | 24 |
Andhra Pradesh | 22 |
Kerala | 20 |
Brinjal / Eggplant Factoids:
Potato, tomato and brinjal are three different species but all belong to the same genus. (NCERT Class11)
Fruit/vegetable? | Native to | |
Potato | vegetable | South America, Andes mountain range.Portuguese introduced it in India. |
Tomato | Fruit* | South & central America |
Brinjal | Fruit* | India, Sri Lanka |
- *Fruit comes from Ovaries part and contains seed.
- Synonyms: Brinjal = India ; Eggplant = USA; Aubergine =UK.
- Brinjal is a transplanted vegetable. Seeds grown in nursery, then seedlings translated in main field.
- Low calorie, high potassium
- Kidney patients should avoid too much Brinjal because it contains oxalates. Oxalates can crystalize in body fluids.
- Can grow on all types of soil but prefers loam / clay.
- When brinjal is cut, its white portion becomes brown. Because its phenolic enzyme gets oxidized in presence of air.
Mock Questions
Q1.Find correct statements about jackfruit
- Jackfruit is native to Indonesia.
- Jackfruit is an example of Dicot plant
- Jackfruit is a multiple fruit.
- Jackfruit is a bisexual flowering species.
Answer choice
- only 1 and 2
- only 2 and 3
- only 1, 2 and 4
- None.
Q2. Correct statements about Potato, Tomato and Brinjal
- All three belong to same genus
- Atleast two of them native to India
- Atleast two of them are fruits
Correct statements
- only 1 and 2
- only 1 and 3
- only 2 and 3.
- None
Q3. Which of the following state has highest number of GI registrations?
- Tamil Nadu
- Andhra Pradesh
- Karnataka
- Uttar Pradesh
B,C,C
b, c,, b
B B and C