Impact of microclimate on Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg var Ma’afala fruit and nutritional quality

Abstract

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg var. Ma’afala is an important traditional staple food crop of Samoa and Tonga that was recently introduced into commercial cultivation worldwide. To determine the impact of environmental conditions on fruit and nutritional characteristics, we evaluated the performance of Ma’afala trees planted at 23 sites across Hawai’i. Proximate analysis revealed that edaphic properties impacted energy, protein and moisture content and climate factors impacted fat and fiber content. Application of fertilizer was correlated with differences in starch content and composition. Fruit size was found to increase with water balance and soil organic content. Soil micronutrient content was not correlated with fruit micronutrient content, however, soil nitrogen levels were correlated with higher nitrogen content of fruits. We used climate modeling to predict performance of Ma’afala in different ecosystems. Our data demonstrate that ecological niche models for breadfruit cultivation may be useful in determining productivity, but not necessarily for fruit quality or nutrition. These results show that modelled future climate scenarios did not negatively impact the nutritional quality of breadfruit and the importance of breadfruit as a resilient food crop for the future.