Origin, Distribution, Taxonomy, Botanical Description, Genetics and Cytogenetics, Genetic diversIty and Breeding of Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg)

This Breadfruit belongs to the family Moraceae, genus Artocarpus and species Artocarpus altilis.In English it is known as breadnut (seeded varieties) and dugdug. The common names are breadfruit, sukun, suku, kulur, kKelor Breadfruit, Sukun, Suku, Kulur, Kelor. The names in different countries are in Cambodia: sakee, khnaor samloo; English: Breadfruit; French: Arbre ¨¤ pain; Indonesia: sukun (seedless); kelur, timbul (seeded); Malaysia: sukun (seedless), kelor (seeded); Papua New Guinea: kapiak (Pidgin); Philippines: rimas (seedless), kamansi (seeded); Thailand: sa-ke (seedless), khanun-sampalor (central); Vietnam: sake. Vernacular names of A. altilis are: breadfruit (English), arbre à pain (French), árbol del pan (Spanish), Brotfruchtbaum (German), rimas (Philippines), sukun/ timbul (Indonesia), kulur/ kuror (Malaysia), kapiak (New Guinea), uto/ kulu (Fiji), bia/ nimbalu (Solomon Islands), beta (Vanuatu), ulu (Hawaii, Samoa), uru (Tahiti and Society Islands), kuru (Cook Islands), mei/ mai (Micronesia, Tonga, Marquesas), lemai (Mariana Islands) and mos (Kosrae). Common Names in different countries are beta (Vanuatu); bia, bulo, nimbalu (Solomon Islands); breadfruit (English); kapiak (Papua New Guinea); kuru (Cook Islands); meduu (Palau); mei (mai) (Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshalls, Marquesas, Tonga, Tuvalu); mos (Kosrae); ‘ulu (Hawai‘i, Samoa, Rotuma, Tuvalu); ‘uru (Society Islands); uto, buco (Fiji). Common names in different countries are Bislama (beta); Creole (vèritab,laba pen); English (breadfruit, breadnut); Fijian (uto,kulu); Filipino (kamansi,rimas); French (arbre à pain,âme veritable,veritable); German (brotfruchtbaum); Hawaian (ulu); Indonesian (sukun,kelur,timbul); Khmer (sakéé,khnaôr sâmloo); Malay (sukun,kuror,kulur); Mandinka (tubab tio); Pidgin English (kapiak); Portuguese (rimas); Samoan (ulu); Spanish (castaña,albopán,arbol del pan,pana de pepitas,panapén); Swahili (mshelisheli); Tamil(seema pila); Thai (khanun-sampalor,sa-ke); Tongan (mei,mai); Vietnamese (saké). The term breadfruit was first used in the 17th century to describe the bread-like texture of the fruit when baked. Breadfruit has hundreds of varieties and numerous common names varying by its geographic distribution. The leaves and fruits of breadfruit are found to have diversity of shapes, sizes, and shades of color. Breadfruits with seeds, few seeds and seedless breadfruit was observed. Variation in breadfruit fruit shape was observed. Variastion in skin texture was obsereved. Entire, moderately dissected, and deeply dissected leaves were observed. Variation in fruit shape of breadfruit - A. Spherical; B. Broad ovoid; C. Oval; D. Oblong; E. Ellipsoid; F. Heart-shape was observed. Breadfruit leaf morphological variations among cultivars - (A) ‘Timor’; (B) ‘Kashee Bread’; (C) ‘Cassava’; (D) ‘Meitehid’; (E) ‘Puou’ and (F) ‘Yellow’ was observed. Breadfruit morphological variations among cultivars-Smooth-skinned cultivars {(A) ‘Yellow’; (B) ‘Afara’; (C) ‘Timor’} and Rough skinned cultivars {(D) ‘Kashee Bread’; (E) ‘Toneno’ and (F) ‘Piipiia’} was observed. Representative leaves, whole fruit, and halved fruit was observed. In this review article on Origin, Distribution, Taxonomy, Botanical Description, Genetics and Cytogenetics, Genetic Diversity, Breeding, Cultivation of Breadfruit are discussed.