Kadaplavu- Breadfruit- Kadachakka

Plant Details – Artocarpus altilis

• Common Name: Breadfruit,Kadaplav ,kadachakka

• Family: Moraceae (same as Jackfruit & Fig)

• Origin: New Guinea, Philippines, Indo-Malay region; now widely grown in South India, Sri Lanka, and tropical countries.

• Type: Large evergreen fruit tree (up to 20–25 m tall).

 Description

• Leaves: Large, deeply lobed, glossy, up to 60 cm long, giving the tree an ornamental look.

• Fruit: Round to oval, green, bumpy-skinned, 10–30 cm in size.

  • Flesh is starchy, similar to potato when unripe.

  • Sweet and soft when ripe.

• Seeds: Some varieties have seeds, others are seedless (commonly cultivated).

 Care & Cultivation

Sun Light

• Requires full sunlight for best growth.

 Soil

• Well-drained sandy loam or clay loam.

• Prefers slightly acidic to neutral soils.

 Watering

• Requires regular watering when young.

• Once mature, moderately drought-tolerant but grows best in humid, rainy climates.

Fertilizer

• Young plants: Apply well-rotted farmyard manure (FYM) or compost at planting.

• Growing stage: NPK (10:10:10) every 3–4 months.

• Mature tree: Annual application of organic compost + potassium-rich fertilizer improves fruiting.

 Uses & Benefits

 Food Uses

• Unripe fruits → Cooked as a vegetable (boiled, fried, roasted, baked).

• Ripe fruits → Soft, slightly sweet, eaten fresh or used in desserts.

• Seeds (when present) → Roasted like nuts.

• Major staple food in Pacific Islands.

 Health & Nutrition

• Rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.

• Low in fat and gluten-free → used as a healthy starch alternative.

 Other Uses

• Wood: Light, termite-resistant, used in canoes, furniture, carvings, and house construction.

• Latex (sap): Used as caulking material for boats.

• Leaves: Used as fodder for cattle and in traditional medicine.