ZAPOTE MAMEY [Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) Moore & Stearn], DIVERSITY AND USES

Abstract

In México, zapote mamey (Pouteria sapota) is cultivated in production systems, commercial plantations with genotypes selected locally, agroforestry plantations associated to fruit trees, and in the backyard. Its consumption is fresh and in frozen pulp. It presents two to four flowering events per year, and the harvest can take place throughout the year depending on the zone, but the highest production is from April to July; the size of the fruit is 230 to 850 g, and they have 60 to 82 % of pulp; the shape index is 1.2 (spherical), which have 2 to 4 seeds, to 2.5 (elongated) with one seed, which are the ones preferred by consumers. The highest variability is found in agroforestry plantations because there is no preselection.