Bael Varieties from CISH, Lucknow: A Detailed Overview

Bael (Aegle marmelos Correa) has been part of Indian agriculture, medicine, and culture for centuries. Yet for a long time, its commercial potential was limited by a fundamental problem: wild and traditionally grown bael trees produce fruits with thick shells, excessive seeds, and low pulp yield – making them difficult and uneconomical to process. That changed significantly with systematic breeding work carried out at the ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow, which developed improved cultivars specifically targeting these shortcomings. Among the most important outcomes of this work are two varieties – CISH-B-1 and CISH-B-2 – that have redefined what commercially viable bael cultivation looks like.

The role of CISH, Lucknow in bael improvement 🔗

ICAR-CISH, Lucknow is a premier research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research focused on subtropical horticultural crops. It maintains one of India’s most important bael germplasm collections, with 18 accessions in its field gene bank. The institute’s bael improvement programme has concentrated on selecting genotypes that combine high pulp recovery, low seed content, thin shells, good TSS (total soluble solids), and suitability for processed food applications. The two varieties that emerged from this work – CISH-B-1 and CISH-B-2 – represent the institute’s most significant contributions to bael cultivation and processing.

Before these varieties were developed, most bael cultivars in circulation were locality-based selections such as Mirzapuri, Kagzi Gonda, Kagzi Etawah, Darogaji, and Rampuri. While some of these had desirable traits, none were systematically bred and released with processing in mind. Earlier survey work on bael germplasm identified the need for high pulp, low mucilage, and fewer seeds as the primary selection criteria – criteria that CISH directly addressed in developing these two cultivars.

CISH-B-1: Key characteristics and fruit quality 🔗

CISH-B-1 is one of the most studied bael selections from CISH. Documented characteristics of this variety include an oblong fruit shape with a smooth surface, a fruit weight ranging between 1 and 1.2 kg, and yellow-coloured pulp. The shell is notably thin – under 2 mm – which is a significant advantage both for ease of processing and for maximising the proportion of usable pulp per fruit. TSS has been recorded at 30-32° Brix, indicating good natural sweetness suitable for nectar and juice production.

One of the distinguishing quality parameters of CISH-B-1 is its higher pulp-to-shell ratio compared to common wild-type bael. The reduced mucilage content is particularly important for processing, since mucilage increases viscosity and complicates pulp extraction and clarification. The variety also produces low crude fibre relative to its total pulp mass, making it easier to process into smooth-textured products.

Physiological performance and cold hardiness 🔗

Beyond fruit quality, CISH-B-1 has shown strong physiological performance in scientific evaluation. A 2022-2024 study at ICAR-CISH, Lucknow using a Randomized Block Design found that CISH-B-1 recorded one of the highest chlorophyll contents among all tested bael accessions (3.91 mg g⁻¹ FW), along with a high photosynthetic rate. This underpins its better adaptability to cooler temperatures. Its membrane stability index was recorded at 81.08%, consistent with cold tolerance. Total yield was measured at 55.61 kg per tree – among the higher-yielding accessions evaluated. TSS in CISH-B-1 reached 35.00° Brix in this study, with Vitamin C at 20.44 mg per 100 g pulp, placing it among the nutritionally superior accessions.

CISH-B-2: A high-pulp variety for modern processing 🔗

CISH-B-2 was developed from open-pollinated seedlings and represents an advancement in pulp yield and fruit size. According to Krishi Jagran, CISH-B-2 trees are of dwarf stature with a dense canopy, making orchard management easier. Fruits mature in April and May, reaching an average weight of around 2.25 kg – considerably heavier than CISH-B-1. The shell is thin, and the ripe pulp is orange-yellow with very low mucilage and seed content.

The most striking feature of CISH-B-2 is its pulp percentage of 61.32%. This is significantly higher than older commercial varieties such as NB-9 and NB-16. The pulp is rich in total soluble solids, natural sugars, carotenoids, and key vitamins including Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin. The variety also retains important bioactive compounds – marmelosin and psoralen – which are associated with the fruit’s traditional medicinal uses, including digestive health and skin-related remedies.

Yield and bearing behaviour 🔗

CISH-B-2 begins bearing fruit within 4-5 years of planting. A mature tree between 10 and 15 years old can produce 60-80 fruits per season, each exceeding 2 kg in weight. Given its high pulp percentage, the practical recoverable yield per tree is substantially greater than varieties with lower pulp fractions. For processors, this translates directly into improved raw material efficiency and lower per-unit production costs.

Suitability for canning and nectar production 🔗

The commercial importance of CISH-B-1 and CISH-B-2 lies substantially in their suitability for processed food applications. Bael pulp is widely consumed in India in the form of nectar, squash, sherbet, murabba, jam, and powder. Research published in the scientific literature on bael processing has established that nectar prepared with around 20% bael pulp, 15% TSS, and 0.25% acidity produces the most acceptable product. For this formula to work well commercially, the starting pulp must have high soluble solids, low fibre, and minimal mucilage – characteristics that both CISH varieties deliver.

For canning, thin-shelled, high-pulp varieties are preferred because the extraction process is faster, pulp consistency is more uniform, and post-processing texture is smoother. The low seed content in both CISH varieties simplifies the depulping step and reduces wastage during mechanical processing. The broader literature on bael-based products consistently identifies high pulp recovery and low gum content as the two primary traits that determine suitability for commercial-scale processing – both of which are central to the CISH selections.

Bael powder and nutraceutical applications 🔗

Beyond nectar and canning, both varieties are well suited to bael powder production. As documented in ICAR research on bael nutraceuticals, the powder form concentrates bioactive compounds including polyphenols, tannins, and antioxidants that peak at full fruit maturity. The high TSS of CISH-B-1 and the elevated carotenoid and vitamin content of CISH-B-2 make their powders especially suitable for health supplement formulations, baby food applications, and functional beverages. Marmelosin and psoralen – retained in both varieties – add pharmaceutical relevance to the dried powder.

Climate adaptability and soil tolerance 🔗

A key practical advantage of both CISH varieties is their adaptability to difficult growing conditions. CISH-B-2 in particular has been documented to tolerate temperatures ranging from 7°C to 48°C, grow up to 1,200 metres altitude, and withstand sodic, saline, and alkaline soils with pH values up to 8.5. This positions bael cultivation on marginal and wasteland soils as a viable option for smallholder farmers who cannot access prime agricultural land. The deep root systems of bael trees also provide soil stabilisation benefits, making these varieties relevant to agroforestry and land rehabilitation programmes.

As published in Indian Horticulture, CISH-Bael-1 was specifically recognised as a new cultivar with a thin shell – a trait that had long been a limiting factor in bael’s commercial uptake. The formal documentation and release of these varieties by ICAR-CISH has made genetically pure planting material available through the institute’s nursery, which operates across 15.5 hectares and is recognised by the National Horticultural Board.

Economic relevance for farmers and processors 🔗

The development of CISH-B-1 and CISH-B-2 carries real economic weight. Farmers who plant these varieties benefit from better market prices due to fruit size and quality, earlier bearing compared to seedling-raised plants, and the growing demand for processed bael products. High-quality bael pulp in Indian markets has been reported at Rs. 60-80 per kg, with value-added products commanding significantly more. For processors, the high pulp-to-weight ratio of CISH-B-2 in particular means fewer fruits are needed to produce a given volume of finished product – reducing raw material, transport, and labour costs simultaneously.

Both varieties are also low-input crops once established. Mature trees need minimal irrigation, are generally resistant to major pests, and can thrive with basic fertiliser management. This combination of high fruit quality, adaptability, and low production cost makes CISH-B-1 and CISH-B-2 particularly well suited to dryland farming systems and underutilised land across India’s subtropical belt.

The broader significance of these CISH cultivars extends beyond individual farm economics. Bael remains, as documented in recent scientific reviews, an underutilised fruit with considerable functional food potential. The combination of flavonoids, alkaloids, coumarins, carotenoids, and essential vitamins in bael pulp places it firmly in the category of nutritionally dense crops that the food and nutraceutical industries are actively seeking. CISH-B-1 and CISH-B-2 are the varieties that make large-scale sourcing of quality bael pulp commercially realistic.

What do you think? Given that CISH-B-2 can produce 60-80 large fruits per mature tree on even marginal soils, do you see improved bael cultivation as a practical livelihood option for dryland farmers in India? And with both varieties showing strong suitability for nectar, canning, and nutraceutical products, which processing application do you think holds the greatest commercial promise for bael in the years ahead?

References

1. https://cish.icar.gov.in
2. https://cish.icar.gov.in/dir_message.php
3. https://www.nhb.gov.in/Training/Brochure/Guava_Central_Institute.pdf
4. https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/72987/1/Unit-3.pdf
5. https://www.vnrnursery.in/bael/bael-cish-b-1/
6. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10722-024-02171-4
7. https://krishijagran.com/agripedia/cish-bael-2-a-new-variety-with-high-pulp-rich-nutrition-and-higher-profits
8. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d176/71468a5eeac5644d5722db8f4df7cc7d34ef.pdf
9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2949824423002136
10. https://files01.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/298005594.pdf
11. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/IndHort/article/view/114640
12. https://wjbphs.com/sites/default/files/WJBPHS-2024-0828.pdf