Review article
Rogač (Ceratonia siliqua L.)-šumska voćkarica pogodna u prevenciji i obnovi izgorenih površina na kršu
Željko Španjol
; Šumarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Boris Dorbić
; Veleučilište “Marko Marulić” u Kninu, Knin, Hrvatska
Marko Vučetić
; Državni hidrometeorološki zavod, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Carob is an evergreen shrub or a low, very branching tree. It reaches from 8 m to 10 m (from 12 m to 15 m). It was imported to Croatia by the ancient Greeks-colonisers. It is currently spontaneously established both in the southern and in the central part of Dalmatia and it is cultivated on the islands Vis, Hvar, Šolta (a town of Rogač, its name means carob), Korčula, Lastovo, Šipan, Lopud, Mljet and in the outskirts of Dubrovnik. The latter territories are well-known for some of our autochthonous species, such as oblong carob pods from Šipan, the large Komiža carob, as well as the Moliški, Koštunac and the Mekiš carob. The current carob production in Croatia is far from impressive, the purchase is disorganised and there are no organised carob orchards. The fruit is a hanging pod of pleasant scent, dark brown with violet shade (chocolate colour), hard and leathery, of uneven surface, smooth, slightly shiny, from 10 cm to 15 cm (or up to 20 cm) in length, from 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm (or up to 4 cm) in width, flattened, straight or sickle shaped. Their thickness is 1 cm. Cultivars have larger pods. They hang on a short stem. The pericarp is fleshy, sweet and edible. It takes almost a year to ripen; in August and September (to November) of the following year and they stay on the tree until spring and hence on the same branch one can often see both ripe fruit and flowers. After ripening, carob pods fall from the tree. The seeds are very hard, oval, flattened, shiny, brown-red, from 8 mm to 10 mm in length, from 6.5 mm to 7.5 mm in width, from 3 mm to 5 mm thick; there are from 10 to 13 (up to 15) seeds in one pod. The mass of 1000 seeds is around 200 g. In the past, due to the constant seed mass (0.18 g) they were used as a good and reliable unit for measuring mass of diamonds and gold-carat (UK spelling) or karat (US spelling), which is a word of Arabic origin, quirat, Greek kération, which means a carob seed, since carob seeds were the first units of measurement upon trade of goods in the East. Carob seeds contain from 40% to 63% of proteins and considerable locust bean gum and mucuous substances. According to records, in extreme cases (wars, poor harvest years, etc.), both in the Croatian Littoral and on the islands, the population cooked and ate carob seeds. Carob seeds can be used in the production of carob gum. Carob gum contains galactomannans and it is added to a wide range of products as a natural thickener or stabiliser. From the nutritional aspect, the carob is very highly valued due to the chemical composition of its fruit that abounds in polysaccharides, lipids and proteins, which account for over 50% of carob content. The chemical composition of carob cannot be determined easily, as it depends on the cultivar, climate and weather conditions, the time of fruit ripening, the time of harvest and the method used to determine the chemical composition. The range of share of individual carob components can be determined subsequently. Among basic chemical components it is important to highlight simple sugars: glucose, fructose (15%-25% of total sugar) and sucrose (65%-75% of total sugar) in the share of 48% -56%, while among more complex ones, it contains cellulose and hemicellulose, which account for 18%. Carob has a low share of fatty acids and it is hence considered as healthy food. Its protein content is low and it ranges from 1% to 7%, depending on the species. Among the basic chemical components, the following simple sugars prevail: glucose, fructose (15%-25% of total sugar) and sucrose (65%-75% of total sugar) whose share ranges from 48% to 56%, while in terms of more complex sugars, it contains cellulose and hemicellulose, accounting for 18%. Due to such chemical composition, carob fruit has multiple uses. Its ripened fruit is eaten as a whole or ground and it is considered crucial in the production of special bread (a mixture of wheat and carob flour), in the production of brandy (carob brandy), as well as for maceration of cut fruit into alcoholic spirits, normally grape brandy (lozovača).
The carob tree grows best in warmer places along the sea shore. The major requirements in terms of climatic factors in cultivation are as follows: the total amount of precipitation from 250 mm to 550 mm; average annual temperature from 15 °C to 20 °C; absolute maximum temperature above 40 °C; absolute minimum temperature from -4 °C to -7 °C; the sum of active temperatures above 9 °C, it has to be from 5000 to 6000 h.
The carob as an evergreen with its large and spreading canopy that shoots down branches and reaches the ground also has an ornamental role in our Mediterranean landscape, yet it is absolutely inadequate in terms of horticulture.
It is a plant of the warmest parts of the Mediterranean where it frequently grows with olive trees in mixed orchards. Its arrival in Mediterranean vegetation can be linked with the alliance Oleo-Ceratonion Br.-Bl. 1936). The alliance Oleo-Ceratonion includes the warmest parts of protruded islands in Southern and Central Dalmatia where forest stands see the dominance of the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis). Besides congruous forest stands, the maquis and garrigues in degradation stages are very common. The carob, in addition to the wild olive, mastic, myrtle, somina, etc. is a specific species of the alliance Oleo-Ceratonion.
It is suitable for afforestation of karst. Since it burns slowly, it is also good for use in fire suppression-layers of carob trees planted for fire suppression, being fire-resistant. It regenerates very quickly after burning from the log and roots. It is a good species for protection of soil from erosion (soil aggregation). The carob is a melliferous plant and an excellent bee forage.
The carob wood is of high density, medium shrinkage, it is very hard, resilient upon pressure, easily chopped and it can be nicely polished. It is rarely used in carpentry, since its core is frequently rotted. It is used for making of furnishings, in wheelwrighting and in box making, it provides good firewood and charcoal. Its bark and leaves are used for leather tanning. Ancient Egyptians used carob wood as good building material. Carob wood has been used as veneer since the Middle Ages in intarsia woodworking upon decoration of surfaces and objects.
Keywords
forest orchard; karst melioration; fire protection belt; nutritional value
Hrčak ID:
252412
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2020.
Visits: 2.012 *