A Survey of the Potential for Breeding in the Annonaceae Family

Abstract

Although fruits and ornamental trees of the Annonaceae (custard-apple) family are spread throughout the tropics, with many genera native to Africa and the East Indies, the important members of this family which bear edible fruits originated in North America. The largest edible fruit native to North America, the papaw, Asimina triloba(L.) Denal., belongs to the Annonaceae family. Its tropical relatives, the sour sop, Annona muricataL.; the sugar apple, Annona squamosaL.; the custard apple, Annona reticulata L.; and the cherimoya, Annona cherimolaMill., are native to Central and South America.