Devanahalli pomelo facts for kids
The Devanahalli pomelo is a special type of citrus fruit. It's a kind of pomelo (Citrus maxima). This unique fruit grows only in the area around Devanahalli in Bangalore Rural district, India. Locals call it "chakkota."
This pomelo is very special. The Indian government protects it with a "Geographical Indication" (GI) tag. This means it can only be called "Devanahalli Pomelo" if it comes from this specific region. People love its sweet taste and flavor, which many say is better than other pomelos.
Contents
Where Does the Devanahalli Pomelo Grow?
This fruit first grew in villages around Devanahalli. These included places like Beerasandra and Shivanapura. However, a lot of land was bought to build the Kempegowda International Airport. Because of this, the pomelo trees now grow in fewer villages. These villages are still within the special growing area. The soil and weather here are perfect for this unique fruit.
The Story of the Devanahalli Pomelo
The Devanahalli pomelo is related to the grapefruit. It has a special sweet taste. Other local pomelo types often taste bitter. About 50 years ago, this sweet pomelo was almost lost. It started crossbreeding with bitter local varieties. This made its unique sweetness less common.
Luckily, some old, pure Devanahalli pomelo plants were found. These were then used to grow more trees. This helped save the special variety.
Later, building the Bengaluru International Airport caused another big threat. Farmers sold their land for the airport. Many Devanahalli pomelo trees were cut down. The Department of Horticulture stepped in to help. They collected seeds and plant parts to save the fruit. They also set up a special center to give plants to farmers.
Because of its special soil needs and GI status, this pomelo can't grow just anywhere. But now, it's making a comeback! More people want this fruit. Even though fewer than 100 farmers grow it, its future looks brighter.
A famous story says that Mahatma Gandhi tasted this fruit. A farmer offered it to him during his visit to Nandi Hills, India. Gandhi reportedly loved the taste. He suggested that the government should protect this special fruit.
What Makes the Devanahalli Pomelo Special?
Growing Conditions
Devanahalli has cool weather and moderate humidity. These conditions are perfect for the pomelo to grow. The soil is usually red and has gravel, loam, and clay. This type of soil drains water well, which the trees like. The area gets a good amount of rain each year.
Trees and Fruit
The Devanahalli pomelo tree can grow quite tall. It can reach heights of 5 to 15 meters (about 16 to 49 feet). Its trunk is often twisted. The leaves are large and dull green. The flowers smell sweet.
The fruits are round, egg-shaped, or pear-shaped. They can be 10 to 30 centimeters (about 4 to 12 inches) wide. The juicy inside part, called the pulp, is pink or red. The fruit segments are easy to separate. The outer skin is greenish-yellow. Each ripe fruit usually has 8 to 10 seeds. This pomelo is also healthy, containing Vitamin C and beta carotene.
How It's Grown
Farmers grow new Devanahalli pomelo trees in a few ways. They use cuttings, grafts, and a method called air layering. In a nursery in Devanahalli, they use organic farming methods. It takes about three months to grow a young plant. Around 400 young plants are sold each year.
To plant them, farmers dig pits about one meter (3 feet) wide. They fill the pits with a mix of farm manure, topsoil, and special cakes from Neem and Peanut plants. They water the plants regularly. During the rainy season, they add fertilizers. Neem oil is also used to keep pests away.
The trees flower twice a year, in December/January and June/July. The fruits grow for about 11 months. Then, they are picked to get new seedlings. Each tree can produce 300 to 400 fruits every year. A single fruit usually weighs about 2 to 2.5 kilograms (4.4 to 5.5 pounds). Some can even weigh up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds)! These fruits can stay fresh for a long time, about 45 to 60 days.
The fruit's pink or red juicy inside is its most special feature. It has a sweet and sour taste. Experts from the University of Agriculture Sciences in Bangalore help make sure the fruit quality is good.
You can eat the Devanahalli pomelo fresh. It's also used to make desserts and jellies. Even the peel of the pomelo is useful! It's used in making cosmetics and traditional Ayurveda medicines.
