Abstract
Recent efforts to explore the potential of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) to contribute to food and nutrition security have included planting material distribution, mainly of the cultivar "Ma'afala", to tropical developing countries. In Trinidad and Tobago, "Ma'afala" has been grown at the University Field Station in a germplasm collection and in a pure stand commercial orchard since 1992 and 2009, respectively, and in tree crop mixtures on farms. The objective was to review data and observations from these sources on the performance of "Ma'afala" in comparison with that of the preferred local cultivar, "Yellow". "Ma'afala" appeared to be comparable with "Yellow" in ease of propagation by traditional methods, time to bearing, shelf life and nutrient composition. Its relatively lower stature, better response to pruning for height reduction with possibly easier harvest during early growth at wide spacing, were desirable characteristics. However, higher susceptibility to tree decline and death of young trees, small fruit size and marketable yield negatively affected its potential for commercial production and utilisation in Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, multi-locational evaluation prior to the release of new germplasm and research to improve cultivars and cultural practices are also critical for the increased use of breadfruit.
