Fruit Tree Morphology

Fruit Tree Morphology

• Fruit trees are long-lived, perennial trees that produce edible fruits.
• Root System: Roots absorb water and nutrients, store sugars, and anchor the tree. Root hairs increase surface area for absorption.
  • Main roots, lateral roots, and secondary roots are present.
• Trunk/Stem: Supports the crown and provides shape and strength.
  • Contains layers of bark, xylem, phloem, and cambium which transport water and nutrients.
• Branches/Shoots:
  • Main branches: Seasonally growing from the tree stem.
  • Secondary branches: More than one year old, growing from the main branches.
  • Newly branches: Less than one year old, growing from the secondary branches.
• Leaves:
  • Compound: Composed of multiple leaflets (e.g., Pecan, Date Palm)
  • Simple: Single leaf blade (e.g., Mango, Peach, Pomegranate)
  • Photosynthesis occurs in leaves, using sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.
• Buds:
  • Terminal (apical): Located at the tip of a stem.
  • Axillary (lateral): Located in the leaf axil.
  • Adventitious: Occurs on the trunk, roots, or other locations.
  • Bud Types:
    • Vegetative: Contains only embryonic shoots with leaves.
    • Reproductive: Contains embryonic flowers.
    • Mixed: Contains both embryonic leaves and flowers.
• Flowers:
  • Complete Flower: Possesses sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils.
  • Incomplete Flower: Lacks one or more of the above features.
  • Perfect Flower: Contains both male (stamens) and female (pistil) parts (e.g., Citrus, Peach, Almond).
  • Imperfect Flower:
    • Staminate: Functionally male, only stamens (e.g., Olives, Pecans)
    • Pistillate: Functionally female, only pistils (e.g., Date Palm, Papaya)
• Fruits:
  • Matured ovaries, may include accessory flower parts.
  • Ovary Layers:
    • Exocarp: Outermost layer.
    • Mesocarp: Middle layer.
    • Endocarp: Innermost layer.
  • Fruit Types:
    • False (accessory): Includes parts of the flower in addition to the matured ovary (e.g., Apples, Pears, Pomegranate, Guava).
    • True: Consists only of the matured ovary (e.g., Grapes, Mango, Citrus, Apricot, Plum).
    • Fruit Hardening:
      • Fleshy: All ovary layers are soft (e.g., Grapes, Date Palm, Pears, Citrus).
      • Semi-dry: Endocarp (innermost layer) is hard (e.g., Mango, Peach, Olive, Apricot, Plum).
      • Dry: All layers of the ovary are hard (e.g., Nut fruits).
  • Other Fruit Types:
    • Aggregate: Many pistils of the same flower (e.g., Strawberry).
    • Multiple: Many pistils from different flowers (e.g., Pineapple).