The Carob Tree: Botany, Horticulture, and Genetic Resources

摘要

the carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua L, is a characteristic constituent of the ever-green, "maquis" and "garigue" vegetation type in low-altitude areas in the Mediterranean Basin. All over these territories, this dioecious and thermophi-lous tree has been extensively cultivated for its pods. These trees are used for both human consumption and as a sugar-rich animal feed. However, currently the main interest is seed production for gum extraction from the endosperm, which is used as a stabilizer in numerous commercial food products. Most cultivars are female, and require the presence of pollen donors in the orchards. The carob is mainly insect-pollinated (flies, bees, and wasps), but is also wind-pollinated, depending on the habitat. The carob tree showssome outstanding features, like rusticity and drought resistance, and produces under reduced orchard management, and thus is well suited for part-time farming. Carob's main limitation is its frost sensitivity. In addition, modern carob orchards start bearing earlier (fourth year after budding) than traditional carob plots, and they increase yield steadily in response to minimum cultural care and deficit irrigation. This crop has received little attention until now, but currently it is being reemphasized as an alternative in dryland (500 mm) or in supplementary drip irrigation areas with a Mediterranean climate for diversification and revitalization of coastal agriculture. This chapter describes carob's economic importance worldwide and their genetic resources and it also reviews various aspects of its taxonomy, botany, origin, ecology, properties, uses, diversity, and breeding. All the life cycle descriptions are referred to the northern hemisphere climatic conditions. In addition, a full account ofthe crop-producing areas agronomy, limitations, industry market, and prospects is presented.