DHS-1
A Dharwad (Karnataka) selection for the dry north of the state. A trial of older trees in the north dry zone recorded 156.25 kg a tree and 139.82 g fruit. In an Andhra trial its fruit weighed 122.4 g, second to Cricket Ball.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Sapota (Chikoo)
- Type
- Grafted variety (on khirni rootstock)
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota)
- Expected yield
- 156.25 kg/tree in one north Karnataka dry-zone trial of older trees
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
DHS-1 is a sapota selection from Dharwad, Karnataka, grown for the dry north of the state. It is not in NHB's variety list, so the evidence is trial reports. In an evaluation of cultivars in the northern dry zone of Karnataka, DHS-1 recorded the highest plant height (8.10 m), canopy volume (305.25 m³), fruit weight (139.82 g) and fruit yield, 156.25 kg a tree. In the Andhra Pradesh trial of 11 cultivars its fruit weighed 122.4 g, second to Cricket Ball, and it took about 258 days from set to harvest. Trial yields depend on tree age, site and year, so treat 156 kg as one result, not a promise.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose DHS-1 if you farm in dry north Karnataka and want a big-fruited, heavy-bearing sapota with trial results behind it: 156.25 kg a tree and 139.82 g fruit in one dry-zone trial. Plan for a large tree and a long 258 days from set to harvest. Pick Kalipatti for the soft-pulp fruit that western India's markets know. Pick Cricket Ball if size alone matters. Pick CO-3 in Tamil Nadu.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timePlant at the onset of the monsoon (NHB). TNAU gives June to December.
- Spacing10 × 10 m, or 6 × 6 m until the canopies meet and then remove alternate trees (NHB). TNAU gives 8 × 8 m (156 plants a hectare), or 8 × 4 m (312 plants) for high density.
- Sowing methodPlant a grafted plant, not a seedling. TNAU uses approach grafting on khirni (Manilkara hexandra) rootstock, with the graft joint at least 15 cm above the ground. Pit about 1 m on each side, filled with topsoil first, then subsoil mixed with FYM, 1 kg superphosphate and 500 g sulphate of potash (NHB). Stake the graft, shade it, and remove rootstock shoots below the joint.
- IrrigationUse the basin method and widen the basin as the canopy grows. Water every 6–7 days in summer and every 8–10 days in winter while plants establish. Drip saves 40% water and raises yield: two drippers of 4 litres an hour at 50 cm from the tree for the first 2 years, then two more (NHB).
- FertilizerPer tree (Maharashtra Dept. of Agriculture, via NHB): year 1: 20 kg FYM, 300 g N, 150 g P, 100 g K. Year 2: 30 kg, 450 g, 225 g, 200 g. Year 3: 40 kg, 600 g, 300 g, 300 g. Year 4: 50 kg, 750 g, 375 g, 300 g. Year 5: 60 kg, 900 g, 450 g, 400 g. From year 6: 70 kg FYM, 1000 g N, 500 g P, 500 g K. Rainfed: apply at monsoon onset. Irrigated: all the FYM and half the fertiliser at monsoon onset, the rest in September–October, under the canopy.
- HarvestingFruiting starts from year 3, and economic yield comes from year 7. Pick when the brown scurf gives way to a yellowish corky-brown colour and a scratch shows no green and no latex. Sapota ripens after picking, but fruit picked too early is poor, and fruit picked late softens fast. Pick by hand or with a net-bag harvester on a pole (NHB).
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Deep alluvium, sandy loam or well-drained medium black soil. Shallow clay over a hard pan, or soil high in lime, is unsuitable (NHB).
- pH
- 6.0–8.0
Climate
- Temperature
- 10–38°C
- Rainfall
- 1,250–2,500 mm
- Climate
- A warm, humid climate (above 70% humidity) suits it, and a coastal climate is ideal. It grows up to 1,000 m. Above 43°C flowers drop (NHB).
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- 156.25 kg a tree and 139.82 g fruit in a north Karnataka dry-zone trial
- Fruit weight second only to Cricket Ball in the Andhra trial (122.4 g)
- Selected at Dharwad for the drier north of Karnataka
Things to consider
- A large tree: the tallest (8.10 m) with the biggest canopy volume in the dry-zone trial.
- It takes about 258 days from fruit set to harvest in the Andhra trial.
- It is not in NHB's variety list, and trial reports differ between sites.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
Heat and water in a dry belt
DHS-1 was selected for the drier north of Karnataka, but sapota itself likes warm, humid air. NHB gives 10–38°C and 1,250–2,500 mm rain as suitable, and says that above 43°C flowers drop.
So in a dry belt, water does the work that humidity would do elsewhere. NHB's schedule for plants that are establishing is every 6–7 days in summer and every 8–10 days in winter, in a basin that you widen as the canopy grows.
Drip is the stronger fit for a dry belt. NHB says it saves 40% of the water and raises yield. Lay two 4-litre-an-hour drippers at 50 cm from the tree for the first 2 years, then add two more. Put the tank high so the drip runs when the power is off.
Where the planting material comes from
This variety is a grafted plant: the variety on top, joined onto a rootstock below. Seed out of its fruit will not come up as this variety, so it cannot be kept as seed. Buy grafted plants from a registered nursery or a government farm, so the plant is true to the variety and free of disease.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Sapota (Chikoo) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baramasi | A traditional sapota to plant only if you can see it bearing; its selection CO-2 has the numbers | Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota) | No kg-per-tree figure published for Baramasi itself (its selection CO-2: 175 kg a tree, per TNAU) | West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh |
| CO-3 | A compact, heavy-bearing Tamil Nadu sapota that flowers through the year | Bearing commences from the 4th year (NHB) | Up to 157 kg/tree/year (NHB, TNAU) | Tamil Nadu |
| Cricket Ball (Calcutta Large) | Large, round, sweet fruit, where size matters more than fine pulp | Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota) | No kg-per-tree figure published; the biggest fruit in two trials (123.2 g and 135 g) | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh |
| DHS-1this page | A big-fruited, heavy-bearing sapota for the dry north of Karnataka, where one trial gave 156 kg a tree | Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota) | 156.25 kg/tree in one north Karnataka dry-zone trial of older trees | Karnataka |
| Guthi | A traditional medium-height sapota; for most farmers its improved selection PKM-1 is the better plant | Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota) | No kg-per-tree figure published | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu |
| Kalipatti | A soft, sweet table sapota for the markets of western India, planted for market acceptance rather than for the biggest fruit count | Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota) | 350–400 fruits/tree on a fully grown tree (NHB) | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka |
| Pala | A quick-ripening, very sweet small sapota for local markets in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu | Fruiting starts about year 3; economic yield from year 7 (NHB, all sapota) | High yielding (NHB); no kg-per-tree figure published | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Sapota (Chikoo) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Sapota (Chikoo) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Sapota (Chikoo) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Sapota (Chikoo) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Sapota (Chikoo) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Sapota (Chikoo) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Why do DHS-1 yield figures differ between trials?
Yield in a trial depends on the age of the trees, the site, the water and the year. The 156.25 kg a tree is from older trees in the northern dry zone of Karnataka. Other reports give different numbers. Use it as an upper marker, and weigh the crop of a few of your own trees before you project an income.
How big is a DHS-1 fruit?
139.82 g in the north dry zone Karnataka trial, and 122.4 g in the Andhra trial, where only Cricket Ball (123.2 g) was heavier. Fruit size changes with site and year, so expect a range of roughly 120–140 g. NHB does not list DHS-1.
How much space does a DHS-1 tree need?
A lot. In the dry-zone trial it was the tallest at 8.10 m, with a canopy volume of 305.25 m³. NHB suggests 10 × 10 m, or 6 × 6 m until the canopies meet and then remove alternate trees. For DHS-1, treat 10 × 10 m as the finished spacing.
Does hot weather hurt DHS-1 flowers?
NHB says temperatures above 43°C cause flower drop in sapota, and that a warm, humid climate (above 70% humidity) suits it best. DHS-1 was chosen for the drier north, but no source gives its heat limit. In a hot dry belt, keep the basin moist and consider drip.
When should I pick DHS-1 fruit?
Pick on the signs. NHB says mature fruit loses the brown scurf for a yellowish, corky-brown skin, and a scratch shows no green and no latex. In the Andhra trial DHS-1 took about 258 days from fruit set to harvest, so do not pick at six months. Fruit picked too early is poor, and fruit picked late softens fast.
Sourced from: Varieties — NHB, Sapota, Planting — NHB, Sapota, Manuring and fertilization — NHB, Sapota, Irrigation — NHB, Sapota, Harvesting — NHB, Sapota, Soil and climate — NHB, Sapota, Sapota — TNAU Agritech Portal, Horticulture: Fruits, Studies on fruit development in different cultivars of sapota — Andhra Pradesh Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Evaluation of different cultivars of sapota under Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka — KrishiKosh. editorial policy.