THE DURIAN CULTIVAR FIASCO
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Durio zibethinus
FAMILY: Bombacaceae
Fortunately, no very large areas of durians have yet been planted in Queensland because the introduction programs have been compromised and a number of cultivars are not what they are reputed to be. In other words, despite introductions being made from reputable sources, in some cases cultivar identification is far from correct.
The genesis of an industry will take some further time, and persons seriously considering planting should be aware of potential limitations.
1 . Areas warm enough so as not to lose young trees in cold winters.
2. The site very well-drained.
3. The ability to control pests and diseases (particularly fruit spotting bug).
4. Knowledge of the correct identification of cultivars to plant.
5. The ability to procure fruit transport to the south.
CULTIVARS TO PLANT
The list of cultivars in Australia is now reasonably extensive, but due to lack of data from many as yet, the following only are tentatively recommended.
CULTIVARS TENTATIVELY RECOMMENDED
| Cultivar | Aril recovery % (mean) | Flesh Texture | Season | Production/Quality Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gob Yaow | 28 | firm | mid | good |
| Chompoosee | 34 | soft | early | good |
| Gumpun | 36 | v. firm | late | excellent |
| D98 | 32 | firm | mid/late | good |
| Gaan Yaow | 28 | firm | mid/late | good |
| Limberlost | 33 | soft | early | good |
| Gob | 30 | firm | mid | fair |
N.B.
1. Gumpun was brought in from Singapore, officially labelled as Montong. Montong has now been introduced from Hawaii (but identity yet to be verified).
2. Chanee, which has been extensively distributed, is in fact Gob. Chanee has not yet been successfully introduced.
3. Production/quality rating is a combination of yield, aril recovery, and absence of rots/ insect damage. Gob is heavy bearing but susceptible to fruit spotting bug damage and fruit rots, and has poor picking/maturity tolerance.
4. Picking/maturity tolerance is the ease with which one can judge a fruit mature, pick it and the chance of the fruit ripening sour being low. A poor rating means a high chance of fruit not ripening satisfactorily. Gumpun has a wider tolerance for picking date before normal drop time.
CULTIVARS NOT RECOMMENDED
| D16 | poor aril recovery, only 11% |
| D123 | poor aril recovery, only 13% |
| Sitebel | poor aril recovery, only 18% |
| Cipaku | poor aril recovery, only 17% |
| Hew 3 | poor production |
| D96 | poor flowering and set - no yield |
| KK8 | poor production |
CULTIVARS YET WITH INSUFFICIENT DATA
Sunan, Parung, D2, D6, D7, D20, D24, D88, D102, Hew 1, Hew 2, Hew 5, Hew 7, Hew 8, Ganja, Hepe, Jurong, Luang, Manong 1, Nasi Kunyit, Petruk, Sitokong and Montong.
N. B. A number in the last list exist only in the Northern Territory.
DATE: July 1991
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