Suitable soil for hairy fruit plant cultivation

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum Linn.) is a fruit of minor importance but very well known because of its attractive colors and exquisite taste. Rambutan tree is an evergreen tree which may grow op to a height of 12–20 m .The vegetatively propagated trees grows up to 12m. The main root goes several meters deep but the lateral roots remain near the soil surface.

The rambutan tree is found in different tropical soils and seems not to be particular about its soil requirements.

Rambutan is grown successfully in wide range of soils. Well drained sandy loam to clay loam soils with organic matter are most suitable for optimum growth and yield. It is can be grown successfully in red laterilte soil if adequate organic and inorganic fertilizers are applied. The optimum soil pH is 4.5 to 6.5.

Areas with an evenly distributed rainfall and short dry season is generally preferred. Good soil drainage is essential. Hot regions with temperature ranging from 22-30°C is favorable. It grows well in an elevation of 500-600 m above sea level. Rambutan is sensitive to water logging. In Southeast Asia, it does well on recently cleared hillsides or in areas converted from forest to farm.
Suitable soil for  hairy fruit plant cultivation

Rambutan tree

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is believed to be native to the Malay Archipelago, from where it spread westwards to Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka and India; eastwards to Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. The rambutan, a tropical fruit tree that belongs to Sapindaceae family includes about 125 genera and more than 1000 species of shrubs and trees which are widely distributed throughout the tropics and warm regions.

Nephelium lappaceum is an evergreen tree about 10-12 m tall; principal trunk is erect with an open crown of large branches; bark is slightly rugose, greyish or red.

The leaves are alternate, 10 –30 cm long, pinnate, with 3-11 leaflets, each leaflet 5–15 cm wide and 3-10cm broad, with an entire margin. The flowers are greenish white, short-petioled, apetalous, faintly odorous, and are covered with very fine short hair. The pedicels are thin, greenish yellow and densely rusty pubescent. The calyx is cup-shaped, 4-to 6-lobed, yellowish green and rusty tomantose outside and beset with short white hair within.

Fruit an ellipsoid to sub-globular schizocarp, up to 7 x 5 cm, weighing 20-95 g, usually consisting of only 1 nutlet, yellowish to purplish-red, hardly stalked, often finally dehiscing (at least the apical part), glabrous, usually densely set with filiform, curved, 0.5-2 cm long appendages; wall coriaceous, up to 2.5 mm thick. Seed covered by a usually thick, juicy, white to yellow, translucent sarcotesta.

The tree grows well in heights up to 500 meters above sea-level and grows best in deep soil; clay loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter. They thrive on hilly terrain due to good drainage.
Rambutan tree