Noina

[orchardtechnology]

I bought a fruit tree called Noina in Chatuchak market. Noina is the thai name for custard apple. Anyway the seller showed me the picture of a big Noina being sold in the fruit market and said that is name is Petch Pakchong whatever that is.

Anyway, does anyone know how to grow Noina? I believe its a close relative of Cherimoya being grown in California. Does it need to be hand pollinated? I want to know where they grow Noina in Thailand and maybe observe how they grow it. Would appreciate for informations.

[teletiger]

An easier question OT....would be: where don't they grow in Thailand. Hand pollinated?....nononoina

Just whack it in, feed and water it (google on the fert.) Guy across from me has 20 rai of custard fruit. He lives in Bangkok. I see him 6/7? times a year. He come to harvest, feed, trim, (a sod to harvest if they're too big, they need to be "picked") weed and harvest again. Petch Pak Chong are the large noina, up to 2 fruits per kilo.

Regards.

[Pond Life]

Yes, easy to grow.

No particular site requirements.

I've been told to prune them back really hard once a year to stimulate fruiting. Seems to work.

I give them a little 15-15-15 + lots cow shit twice a year along with the rest of my trees.

[thaiyes]

Try this shake: Noina, yogut and sugar. Blend it up.

[JungleBiker]

I bought a fruit tree called Noina in Chatuchak market. Noina is the thai name for custard apple. Anyway the seller showed me the picture of a big Noina being sold in the fruit market and said that is name is Petch Pakchong whatever that is.

Anyway, does anyone know how to grow Noina? I believe its a close relative of Cherimoya being grown in California. Does it need to be hand pollinated? I want to know where they grow Noina in Thailand and maybe observe how they grow it. Would appreciate for informations.

Hi OT,

I am pretty sure that most of the Noi Na fruits found in the markets in Thailand are the tropical sugar apples (Annona squamosa) not the tropical highland cherimoya (Annona cherimola). However, some of the newer varieties (perhaps including your variety "Petch Pakchong" (?) may be crosses between these two species (the cross is known as custard apple) as well crosses with other Annona species.

To grow the cherimoya well (if it's possible in Thailand?) you'd be better off in a cooler area (perhaps like Pakchong, Petchaboun, Loei or the mountains in the far north). I assume Petch Pakchong may do better in cooler areas rather than lowland areas but I may be wrong. There is an area in Pakchong District where Noi Na is grown by many farmers so that may be a good place to go and learn how to grow it.

Hand pollination will give better results than relying only on wind or insects. Irrigation and fertilizer are important. Windbreaks will help increase humidity and protect from winds. Avoid waterlogging but keep the soil moist; mulching (e.g. with rice straw, etc) is good. Mealy bugs and fruit flies seem to be the worst pests. Mealy bugs are the white slow moving insects you find on the outside of the fruits, often near the stem, also under leaves. Sometimes farmers leave these on the fruits to show consumers they haven't used any insecticides. The fruit flies are worse because they will result in worms inside the fruits which consumers definitely don't want to see! I am sure there are chemicals around to control these but wrapping the young fruits in paper bags (e.g. made from newspapers) will also help keep fruit flies off. There are other non-chemical ways like traps and beneficial nematodes. Google will reveal all.

Here is a British publication that you may find interesting... http://www.icuc-iwmi.org/files/Publication...nona_Manual.pdf but it's aimed at smallholders rather than commercial grower.

Best regards,

JB.

[Pond Life]

Thanks for that PDF link JB,

Looks like lots of good info,

I'll be sticking to my low maintainance approach as much as possible tho'.

[Beachbunny]

We live in Sattahip and have both Noi na and cherimoya. In California we had to hand pollinate because in the states they don't have the insect that does the

pollination.

Here in Thailand we don't as they have the insect.....I can't remember what it is and doubtful to find it on the websites online as most of that information

is for growing tropical fruit outside of the tropics.

We have two or three varieties of thai noi na that are really good, including the red noi na. The cherimoya is nice, but doesn't seem to

be as good as the ones we had in California....could just be me. For the thai varieties I prefer the ones that seem to fall apart easily

and are juicier. The other ones the fruit is firmer and not as sweet....personally I don't like their texture.

Beachbunny

[pompop]

Very interested in where to buy the large sweet juicy Noi na fruit both white and red? Live in Buriram.