Introducing Breadfruit tree in Bangladesh

Many countries have enriched their flora and fauna by collecting samples and seeds from all around the world. The efforts have not always been for commercial purposes. Sometimes, they tasked the embassies to collect samples, or sometimes they sent emissaries, expeditions and researchers.  At times, introduction of some species can be environmentally harmful and invasive. Hence introduction of a new species should be made with careful considerations.

This writer had an opportunity for an official visit to Sri Lanka in 1998. In between official business, a Sri Lankan friend from Staff College of Bangladesh, Air Commodore Channa Gunaratna, was kind enough to give a tour around the countryside. A particular kind of tree was seen everywhere. The trees had large beautiful leaves with deep pinnate lobes. When asked, Gunaratna said it was breadfruit tree.  It bears fruits that are called “breadfruit” because they are starchy, highly nutritious and tasty. It is a staple of many pacific islanders. It is available in Malaysia, Indonesia, Caribbean countries, Kerala in India etc. The fruit can be eaten when ripe and as a starchy vegetable -- mashed, fried, boiled and made into bharta. Breadfruit is rich in carbohydrate, about 27g per 100g. It has modest amount of protein, but good amount of fibre. It is also rich in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. It does not have any cholesterol, but has trace amounts of other vitamins. Each tree can produce 150-200 fruits per season. Sometimes, depending on the weather condition, a tree can produce fruit more than once.  However, one has to be a little careful while preparing the fruit. Being of the same genus (artocarpus) as the jackfruit, its skin exudes white sticky sap that is difficult to remove.

Breadfruit tree's arrival in Sri Lanka has an interesting story. Sir Joseph Banks was part of the expedition in Tahiti led by the famous Captain Cook on Endeavour. Banks saw the value of breadfruit. Later, when he became president of Royal Society, he offered cash and gold medal for bringing breadfruit saplings to the Caribbean for feeding the slaves who worked on tobacco and sugarcane plantations. The problem with breadfruit tree is that it does not produce any seed. It is propagated by removing shoots that come out of roots and replanting them. Banks raised money and launched his expedition for collecting saplings and transporting them through Indian Ocean to the Caribbean. Unfortunately, many saplings died on the way or were dying in the ships. Seeing no viable alternative, the captains of the ships ordered unloading and planting many saplings in Sri Lanka and other islands on the way. That's how the plants spread to Sri Lanka, and later to Kerala.  Now, new methods of propagation have evolved -- mainly by air layering (kolom) and root cuttings. 

Gunaratna offered to provide a shoot from his backyard. The shoot was rather large and would not fit in the suitcase. Most of the roots had to be cut off as well as the tip with all the leaves. Luckily, after returning to Bangladesh, when the shoot was planted in the backyard of this writer's official residence, it started to sprout new leaves. The sapling was uprooted and replanted several times due to moving houses. It never died.

In 2003, after retiring from the air force, this writer had to move to a private residence, but there was no place for planting the breadfruit tree. By this time it had become considerably large. In its prime, a breadfruit tree can grow over 80 feet tall. The backyard of the air force housing was not large, and if left there, the plant would outgrow the available area. Another fear was that the officers, who would occupy the house subsequently, would not know what it is and might remove it thinking it to be a useless tree. Dr. Zasimuddin of Dhaka University's Botany Department was asked if he would be interested to take it for research and propagation. The department authority was enthusiastic enough to come and take it away, and plant it in the department's garden.

After several years, this writer was invited by the department to see the tree -- now handsome, medium sized -- and the fruits it bore, which were quite delicious. This only proves that Bangladesh is suitable for breadfruit cultivation. Hopefully, the Botany Department of Dhaka University can evolve method of tissue culture for its rapid propagation. It can become an alternative food in Bangladesh.