Pili

Budidaya dan menggunakan

Meskipun mereka tumbuh sebagai pohon hias s di daerah banyak Dunia Lama tropis Malaysia dan Filipina, hanya Filipina dan proses menghasilkan kacang pili komersial. Sentra produksi terletak di Bicol daerah, provinsi Sorsogon, Albay, dan Camarines Sur, selatan Tagalog, dan timur Visaya. Tidak ada penanaman komersial dari tanaman ini, buah-buahan dikumpulkan dari berdiri alam di pegunungan dekat provinsi tersebut. Pada tahun 1977, Filipina diekspor sekitar 3,8 t persiapan pili ke Guam dan Australia.
Pili adalah pohon tropis lebih suka dalam, subur, berdrainase baik tanah, suhu hangat, dan didistribusikan dengan baik curah hujan. Hal ini tidak dapat mentolerir sedikit embun beku atau suhu rendah. Pendinginan dari benih pada 4 ° sampai 13 ° C mengakibatkan hilangnya viabilitas setelah 5 hari. Perkecambahan biji sangat bandel, dikurangi 98-19% setelah 12 minggu penyimpanan pada suhu kamar; benih disimpan selama lebih dari 137 hari tidak bertunas. Aseksual propagations menggunakan marcotting, tunas, dan mencangkok terlalu konsisten untuk digunakan dalam produksi komersial. Tunas muda pili diyakini memiliki fungsional internal floem s, yang diberikan kulit dering tidak efektif sebagai cara untuk membangun kadar karbohidrat dalam kayu. Sukses dalam marcottage mungkin kultivar tergantung. Produksi standar untuk sebuah pohon pili matang adalah antara 100 sampai 150 kg di-shell kacang dengan musim panen dari bulan Mei hingga Oktober dan memuncak antara Juni dan Agustus. Ada variasi yang tinggi dalam kualitas kernel dan produksi antara pohon bibit.--114.79.60.40 24 Oktober 2011 00.41 (UTC)
Most pili kernels tend to stick to the shell when fresh, but come off easily after being dried to 3 to 5% moisture (30 °C for 27 to 28 h). Shell nuts, with a moisture content of 2.5 to 4.6%, can be stored in the shade for one year without deterioration of quality (Coronel et al. 1983).
The most important product from pili is the kernel. When raw, it resembles the flavor of roasted pumpkin seed, and when roasted, its mild, nutty flavor and tender-crispy texture is superior to that of the almond. Pili kernel is also used in chocolate, ice cream, and baked goods. The largest buyers of pili nuts are in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the kernel is one of the major ingredients in one type of the famous Chinese festive desserts known as the "moon cake".
Nutritionally, the kernel is high in calcium, phosphorous, and potassium, and rich in fats and protein. It yields a light yellowish oil, mainly of glycerides of oleic(44.4 to 59.6%) and palmitic acids (32.6 to 38.2%).
The young shoots and the fruit pulp are edible. The shoots are used in salads, and the pulp is eaten after it is boiled and seasoned. Boiled pili pulp resembles the sweet potato in texture, it is oily (about 12%) and is considered to have food value similar to the avocado. Pulp oil can be extracted and used for cooking or as a substitute for cotton seed oil in the manufacture of soap and edible products. The stony shells are excellent as fuel or as porous, inert growth medium for orchids and antherium.

Future Prospects

According to Richard A. Hamilton, University of Hawaii at Manoa (macadamia breeder), the current status of the pili is equivalent to that of the macadamia some 30 years ago. It has great potential to develop into a major industry. The immediate concern in pili production is the difficulty of propagation. The lack of an effective clonal propagation method not only hampers the collection of superior germplasm but also makes it almost impossible to conduct feasibility trials of this crop. Few elite pili trees, such as 'Red', 'Albay', and 'Katutubo' were selected in the Philippines. The National Clonal Germplasm Repository at Hilo, USDA/ARS, has initiated studies in in vitro and vegetative propagation for the multiplication and long-term preservation of pili. A recently released pili cultivar in Hawaii may further stimulate the interest in this crop. This new selection, known as Poamoho, was released by R.A. Hamilton. Besides the desirable production and quality attributes, its kernels separate easily from the hard shell without the need of prior drying (30 °C for 27 to 28 h). This is an important cost saving feature for processing.