Jamun – A Fruit Rich in Therapeutic Phytochemicals

Jamun (Syzygium cumini L.) commonly known as Indian blackberry is a minor and under-utilized fruit of Indian subcontinent.

- Deep Lata and C.K. Narayana

It is also known as black plum, jambul, Java plum, etc. Jamun, Syzygium cumini Skeels, belongs to the family Myrtaceae and genus Eugenia which comprises about 1000 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. Some of the old-world Eugenia spp., are now placed in the genus Syzygium. The genus Syzygium is a multipurpose genus with many important species.

Jamun is a hardy crop and can be grown evenon neglected and marshy areas where other fruits trees cannot be grown successfully. In India it is cultivated in an unorganized manner, therefore, consolidated information regarding its area and production is not available. However, in a very recent report it is mentioned that India ranks second and contributes about 15.4% of total world production i.e. 13.5 Mt. Maharashtra is the largest jamun producing state followed by Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Assam and others.