Periodicity in Carob Tree (Year of Existence, Year of None)
One of the common situations encountered by carob growers is that the tree yields abundant crops one year and significantly less the next year. This situation, popularly known as the "year of existence – year of none", is called periodicity (alternative or irregular yielding) in horticulture. Sources define carob as a species that shows significant periodicity, especially when growing conditions are poor.
Read MoreWhat Causes Color Differences in Carob Products?
Of the two carob powders sold under the same name, one can be light brown and the other can be almost as dark as cocoa. Similar differences are seen in carob crumb, molasses and even the gum obtained from the bean. This often brings to the mind of the consumer the questions "which one is real?" or "which one is of better quality?".
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Carob Sapling Selection and Sapling Certificate
Carob is a long-lived tree; The choice of saplings made when establishing a garden determines the yield, fruit quality and operating cost of the garden for decades. It takes both time and effort to correct the mistake of the garden established with a sapling of the wrong sex, unknown variety or weak root structure.
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How Many Years Does the Carob Tree Bear Fruit? Yield and Lifespan
Carob is a long-term tree that requires patience. In gardens established with grafted saplings, the first product usually begins to be obtained a few years after planting; commercially significant yields usually come after the sixth or seventh year. The tree reaches full yield in its 20s and can last more than a hundred years in good conditions.
Read MoreDifferences between Delice (Wild) Carob and Grafted Carob
A significant part of the carob trees growing on our Mediterranean coasts are ungrafted, that is, wild or "delice" trees as they are popularly called. The pods of these trees are usually thinner, smaller and less fleshy; on the other hand, their seed ratios are often higher than grafted varieties. Grafted trees, on the other hand, stand out with their larger, fleshier and more sugary pods.
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Structure of the Carob Pod: Pulp and Seed Ratio
Carob fruit is a legume fruit from a botanical point of view; Although it looks like a single piece from the outside, it contains two main components with different economic value: sweet and fibrous pulp and hard-shelled seeds. In scientific sources, it is reported that the pulp makes up most of the weight of the pod, while the seed usually has a share ranging from around 10 percent to 25 percent.
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What are the Types of Carob?
Since carob is a tree that has been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years, each producing country has its own local varieties. Rojal, Negra and Duraio in Spain; Mulata and Galhosa in Portugal; Amele and Gibiliana in Italy; Tillyria (Tylliria) in Cyprus are among the most well-known of these varieties. These varieties differ significantly from each other in terms of pod size, sugar content, seed ratio, earliness and disease resistance.
Read MoreDried Carob Fruit Buying Guide
Dried carob is a fruit that is offered for sale by collecting and cleaning the pods that ripen and dry on the tree. It can be consumed as a snack and is also the raw material of products such as molasses, powder and broken. Therefore, both a person who buys a few kilos for consumption at home and a business that buys by tons for production should pay attention to the same basic quality marks.
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