Vegetables and fruits are essential for maintaining good health and preventing disease. Fruits are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are naturally high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid and low in fat, sodium, and calories. The fruits which are high in potassium include oranges, peaches, and honeydew. Fruit fiber aids in the prevention of heart diseases. You must consume fruits to provide your body with balanced nutrients. Try to eat cooked tomatoes, red, yellow, and orange fruits, and dark leafy greens. Considering its importance, quince fruit in Pakistan is very popular.
Growing Regions of Quince Fruit in Pakistan
Quince is an acidic fruit with a pear shape, used as a flavoring or in preserves. The botanical name of quince is Cydonia oblonga. Rosaceae is its family. Eat this fruit, as the Holy Prophet (saw) advised in Ibn-e-Maja, as it lowers the risk of a heart attack. Swat, Merdan, Murree, and Azad Kashmir are its fastest-growing regions. This fruit is available in Pakistan and was popular in Sham. A quince tree is a small, deciduous tree that resembles a pear. Trees can reach a height of 5–8 m, have alternately arranged leaves, and produce pink or white flowers with five petals in the spring after the leaves have fallen. The weight of quince fruit varies from 250 to 750 g or more. Fruit that is available in September and October. Turkey, China, Morocco, Iran, Spain, Algeria, and Serbia are the top quince producers. Hardwood cuttings should be about 25 cm long and taken in the late autumn or early winter.
Although it is the most practical propagation method, the trees that are created tend to grow suckers. Quince seedlings are used as rootstock and prevent sucker growth in the trees. Quinces are also sexually and anally reproduced. Quince seed is extracted from mature fruit, cleaned, and stratified, and it should be stored in a cool, dry place when propagated. The preferred method for rootstock development is sexual propagation, which results in identical clones when multiple plantlets are grown from shoot tissue taken from a single plant. A seedling should be developed in either full or partial sunlight with an acid-neutral pH.
Soil
The best soil type is clay loam, which has reasonable drainage requirements, average drought tolerance, and an oval, rounded habit. Spring, summer, fall, and winter are their main seasons of interest. Quince can grow in different soil types and is adaptable; however, light and dry soil conditions should be avoided. Because quinces are susceptible to iron deficiency in alkaline environments, heavy, moist soils that are only slightly acidic are preferred for quince cultivation. It is desirable to have some windbreaks, like windbreaks that are planted. Choose quinces for storage that are big, firm, yellow, and have little to no green on them.
Harvesting
Put ripe quince in a plastic bag, then store it in the fridge for up to two months. Quince can also be kept for a few weeks at home if it is kept away from heat and humidity. Only undamaged fruit should be harvested. According to experts, harvesting should start when the fruit’s color changes from dark to light green, typically in the fall.