Lychee Production in Multan, Pakistan

Lychee industry in Pakistan is only a half century old however, keeping in view its commercial potential, ambitious fruit growers have diversified towards new lychee cultivation. District Multan (30.15°N; 71.36°E) in Punjab, province has a characteristic hot and dry climate where summer temperature reaches up to 45°C in June-July however it is emerging as one of the major Lychee production areas in Pakistan. The objectives of the study were to understand the adoptability over time in lychee cultivation at Multan and to evaluate genetic diversity in morphological traits (tree, leaf, flower, fruit), quality parameters (precocity, yield potential, shelf life) and physico-chemical characters (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and organoleptic attributes) of five commercial Lychee cultivars i.e., Gola, Calcutti, Bedana Bombay and Madrasi. This paper will also provide comprehensive information on Multan lychee industry, along with the potential and future prospects.