Morinda (citrifolia)

Kim Wilkinson Craig Elevitch Permanent Agriculture Resources P.O. Box 428 Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 808-324-4427 808-324-4129 (fax) par@agroforestry.net www.agroforestry.net

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Family Scientific Name:	Rubiaceae
Family Common Name:	Coffee
Scientific Name:	Morinda citrifolia L.
Common Name:	Indian mulberry; beach mulberry (English); noni (Hawaii, Marquesas); kura (Fiji); nonu (Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Wallis and Futuna); nono (Cooks, Societies); te non (Kiribati); nen (FSM); lada (Guam); nen or nin (Marshall Islands); kesengel, lel, ngel (Palau)
Ecotype:	dry to moderately wet sites, 0-450 m
General Distribution:	Indigenous to southeastern Asia to Australia and possibly Guam. It is an aboriginal introduction that has naturalized in most Pacific Islands.
Known Invasiveness:	This species is widely introduced throughout other tropical regions of the world where it may be invasive in some areas and invasiveness outside its naturally occurring range is unknown.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Time To Grow:	0
Target Specifications:	Height 25 cm, Stem diameter: 10 mm
Propagule Collection:	Noni flowers and fruits year-round. Fruits are harvested when they start turning white, or even when they have turned fully soft, translucent and characteristically fragrant. For seed production, the riper the fruit, the better. Collect from plants that have desirable characteristics such as large fruit for fruit production, or vigorous leaf growth for hedges, etc.
Propagule Processing:	Let the fruit ripen fully until it all turns soft and translucent. This may take 3 - 5 days if only semi-ripe fruit was available. Once the fruit has fully softened, press the fruit against a screen or colinder with holes slightly smaller that the seeds. The soft, fibrous flesh will slowly be removed from the seeds as they are rubbed against the screen. It may take 15 minutes to completely remove the clinging flesh. Rinsing the pulp in water periodically helps remove the flesh. The seeds have an air bubble trapped inside, so contrary to most other seeds, the noni seeds that are healthy float in water. If the seeds are to be used immediately, soft fruit can be suspended in water and subjected to short pulses in a blender, very sparingly, to remove most of the flesh while scarifying the seeds slightly (see next section). If the seeds are to be stored, the flesh should be completely removed, then the seeds air dried and stored in a paper bag in a cool room with low humidity. It is unknown how long seeds remain viable, however, one year is thought to be a reasonable storage time. Germination is high for fresh seeds, perhaps over 90%. There are approximately 40,000 seeds per kg.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Without pretreatment, noni seeds germinate sporadically over 6 - 12 months. Scarifying by nicking the seed coat gives more uniform germination in about 30 days. Nicking can be done with a small fingernail clippers or sharp file. Large seedlots can be effectively scarified in a blender by suspending fruits or seeds in water and sparingly using the pulse function to ensure that minimal damage is done to the seeds while most are scarified.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	A rain- and wind-protected but sunlit area (such as a cold-frame with clear film roof) is recommended for germination in trays. Germinate the seeds in trays filled with 1 part peat to 1 part perlite or vermiculite only. Warm, moist and light conditions are beneficial for optimum germination. After the germination and early establishment phase, moderate shade (20 -30%) to full sun is used for growing out the individual seedlings in containers.
Establishment Phase:	Sprinkle the scarified seeds evenly over a mix consisting of 1 part perlite to 1 part peat. Cover lightly with 5-10 mm of mix. Keep moist with a fine sprayer soas not to disturb the seeds or the medium. Partial shade or full sun can be used for germination. An even temperature of 38 degrees Celsius is recommended, which can be achieved with bottom heat.
Length of Establishment Phase:	2 - 3 months
Active Growth Phase:	When the seedlings reach the 4-leaf stage, carefully transplant to individual containers for the growth phase. Andersen Band Pots 2 3/8" by 5" inches deep or other root-training containers of similar or greater volume (164 ml) work well. One gallon root-training containers can also be used. A well-drained potting media such as 50% Sunshine peat moss, 25% perlite, 25% vermiculite, amended with a little compost, dolomite lime, gypsum, micronutrients and slow-release fertilizer such as osmocote 14-14-14 is used. Seedlings should be grown in light shade and moved after 1 -2 months into full sun. Keep seedlings well spaced apart to allow maximum penetration of sunlight and air circulation. In some cases, amending with additional fertilizer such as a light top dressing of Gro-More 8-8-8 will aid in growth and development.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	8 months
Hardening Phase:	Growers should continue to ensure that seedlings receive full sun. Seedlings should never be allowed to dry out, but watering frequency may be reduced to introduce seedlings to temporary, moderate water stress.
Length of Hardening Phase:	1 month
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	When seedlings have reached target size, they may be delivered to the planting site. Keeping them in their containers help protect the roots and allows the plants to stand up in cardboard boxes, or delivered in trays. Seedlings must be protected from wind and excessive heat during transport, but refrigeration is not recommended. Empty containers and trays may be returned after the planting is complete.
Other Comments:	Spacings of 3 - 5 m between plants are used for fruit production.
References:	Nelson, Scot. 2002. The Noni Website. University of Hawaii CTAHR, Honolulu, HI. Web: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/commodities/noni/ [web page last updated 10/28/02] Thaman, R.R., C.R. Elevitch and K.M. Wilkinson. 2000. "Multipurpose Trees for Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands. In: Elevitch, C.R. and K.M. Wilkinson. 2000. Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands. Permanent Agriculture Resources, Holualoa, HI. web: http://www.agroforestry.net Valentine, Nicholas. 1999. A Preliminary Report on Non-timber Forest Products in Some Pacific Island Countries (with a case study on Morinda citrifolia). SPC/UNDP/AusAID/FAO Pacific Islands Forests & Trees Support Programme. RAS/97/330, Working Paper No. 6. Wagner, Warren L., Darrel R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i. 2 vols., Bishop Museum Special Publication 83. University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu.

Citation:

Elevitch, Craig R.; Wilkinson, Kim M.. 2004. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Morinda citrifolia L. plants Permanent Agriculture Resources Holualoa, Hawaii. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.