Prunus persica variety (ARUKA)

Brhat trayi quoted aruka in their works (C.S.Su.13/9; 27/129-130; S.S.Su.22/8 & A.H.Su.6/135-137). Aurka is quoted as Prunus domestica by many scholars and is famous as alubukhara in Hindi. Durig the ighant period aruka is mentioned under phala varga.  During ighantu period aruka is used many times as a synonym for aluka.  Its synonym virasena is also aiming towards potatoes.  However, repeated mentioning of aruka under phala varga among majority of the nighantus, indicate that aruka is a edible fruit.  It is said to be of four types.  In madanapala ighantu we come across another plant bhallu under the phala varga.  However, bhalluand bhalluka are different plants. Bhalluka mentioned by susruta and vagbhata is identified as synonym of syonaka.  In the nighantus also, bhalluka is found to be the synonym for syonaka.  Madanapala’s bhallu is identified as P. domestica (P. persica) on the basis of the synonyms alluka and raktaphala.  P. domestica is famous as alubukhara in Hindi. The four varieties of aruka are four different varieties of peaches.

Although its botanical name Prunus persica suggests the peach is native to Persia, it actually originated in China where it has been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture. Its English name derives from the Latin plural of persicum malum, meaning Persian apple. The Persians brought the peach from China and passed it on to the Romans. The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in 16^th AD and eventually made it to England and France in the 17^th AD.

Nectarine – The nectarine is a cultivar group of peach that has a smooth, fuzzless skin. Though fuzzy peaches and nectarines are commercially regarded as different fruits, with nectarines often erroneously believed to be a crossbreed between peaches and plums, or a “peach with a plum skin”, they belong to the same species as peaches. Several genetic studies have concluded in fact that nectarines are created due to a recessive gene, whereas a fuzzy peach skin is dominant. Nectarines have arisen many times from peach trees, often as bud sports.

As with peaches, nectarines can be white or yellow, and clingstone or freestone. On average, nectarines are slightly smaller and sweeter than peaches, but with much overlap. The lack of skin fuzz can make nectarine skins appear more reddish than those of peaches, contributing to the fruit’s plum-like appearance.