MANGO (Mangifera indica L.)

Introduction and Importance

Mango is a perennial, evergreen fruit tree of tropical and subtropical regions. It occupies a premier position among fruit crops due to its high economic value, wide adaptability, rich nutritional composition, and cultural importance. India is both the centre of origin and largest producer of mango in the world. The fruit is consumed fresh and processed into products such as pulp, juice, pickle, chutney, leather, nectar, and canned slices.

Botanical and Basic Information

• Botanical name: Mangifera indica L.
• Family: Anacardiaceae
• Chromosome number: 2n = 40
• Origin: Indo-Burma region
• Fruit type: Drupe (stone fruit)
• Edible portion: Mesocarp
• National fruit: India
• Common names: King of fruits / Bathroom fruit
• Vitamin richness: Very rich in Vitamin A (≈ 4800 IU). Good source of Vitamin C and carbohydrates
• Ripening nature: Climacteric (shows rise in respiration and ethylene)
• Pollinating agent: Housefly
• Quality standard: Good dessert varieties have ≥ 20% TSS
• Freezing point of fruit: 1°C

Global and National Significance

• India’s contribution to world production: ~ 54.2%
• Highest producing country: India
• Highest productivity (country): Venezuela
• Leading mango producing state in India: Uttar Pradesh (~23%)
• Districts with two mango crops per year: Kanyakumari. Madurai (Tamil Nadu) Due to favourable climate and extended flowering season.
• Historical milestones: First mango hybridization: 1911. Scientists: Burns and Prayag. Place: Pune
• Caging technique: Developed by Dr. R. N. Singh for controlled pollination.
• Polyembryony: In India: Mulgoa
  • In Florida: Mulgoa shows polyembryonic behaviour due to environmental influence.

Soil Requirements

• Mango can grow in a wide range of soils, but best performance is obtained in: Deep, Well-drained, Loamy soils
• Soil pH: 5.5–7.5
• Unsuitable soils: Waterlogged, Saline, Highly alkaline soils
• Good drainage is essential to avoid root rot and poor flowering.

Climate Requirements

• Ideal temperature range: 24–27°C
• Climatic type: Tropical and subtropical
• Low temperature sensitivity: Injury occurs below 5°C
• Rainfall: Dry weather during flowering favours better fruit set. Excess rainfall at flowering reduces pollination
• Cold sensitivity: Mango fruits are prone to chilling injury.

Storage and Post-Harvest Management

• General storage conditions: Temperature: 13°C Relative humidity: 85–90% Storage life: 2–3 weeks
• Temperature based on maturity: Mature green fruits: 6–7°C. Ripened fruits: 20°C. Long-term storage: 13°C
• Important note:
  • Storage below 5°C causes chilling injury such as. Surface pitting. Black spots. Uneven ripening. Off-flavour

Propagation: Mango is commercially propagated vegetatively to maintain varietal purity.

Methods

Commercial method: Veneer grafting: Season: April–October

• Recent method: Epicotyl stone grafting.Widely practiced in Konkan region
• Other methods: Inarching. Softwood grafting
• Softwood grafting standardized by: Dr. R. S. Amin (GAU, Gujarat)

Planting

• Planting season: June–July (Monsoon)
• Spacing: Desi varieties: 10–12 m. Grafted varieties: 8 × 8 m, High density planting (Amrapali): 2.5 × 2.5 m. 1600 plants/ha
• High density planting advantages: Early bearing, Higher yield per unit area, Easier canopy management

Flowering and Fruit Set

• Mango inflorescence is a panicle bearing male and perfect flowers.
• Perfect flowers (%): Highest: Langra (68.9%). Lowest: Rumani (0.74%)
• Fruit set efficiency: Only 0.1–1% flowers develop into fruits due to heavy drop.
• Pollination: Mainly by houseflies
• Improving fruit set: Spraying 2,4-D @ 10 ppm
• Pollinizer variety: Bombay Green (also highest Vitamin C)
• Self-incompatible varieties: Dashehari. Langra. Chausa. Bombay Green

Physiological Disorders

i) Clustering (Jhumka)

• Formation of bunches of flowers and undersized fruits.
• Causes: Low temperature. Poor fertilization. Improper pollination

ii) Malformation

• Most serious disorder of mango.
• Leads to malformed panicles and vegetative shoots.
• Control: Deblossoming (removal of malformed flowers)

Physiological & Nutritional Disorders

i) Spongy Tissue

• Type: Physiological disorder
• Cause: Convection heat accumulation inside fruit pulp during maturity and ripening
• Variety affected: Alphonso
• First reported by: Cheema and Dhani (1934)
• Symptoms: Fruit appears normal externally. Internal pulp becomes pale, spongy, sour and inedible
• Importance: Major export problem in Alphonso mango
• Control (general): Harvest at correct maturity. Avoid exposure to high temperatures during storage and transport

ii) Black Tip

• Cause: Toxic gases (SO₂, CO₂, ethylene) released from nearby brick kilns
• First observed by: Woodhouse (1909)
• Symptoms: Blackening of fruit tip. Deformed and unmarketable fruits
• Management: Brick kilns should be located away from orchards. Spraying borax solution (0.6%)

iii) Internal Necrosis

• Cause: Boron deficiency
• Symptoms Browning and necrosis of internal pulp tissues. Poor fruit quality and market value
• Correction: Soil or foliar application of borax / boric acid

iv) Malformation (Vegetative / Floral)

• Cause: Fungal association (Fusarium spp.). Low temperature during flowering
• First observed: 1891 (Bihar)
• Types: Vegetative malformation: Bunchy top, compact shoots. Floral malformation: Compact panicles, no fruit set
• Control: Deblossoming (removal of malformed panicles). Orchard sanitation and pruning

v) Deblossoming

• A cultural practice used to control malformation
• Involves removal of malformed flowers before flowering spreads
• Helps in restoring normal flowering in next season

Tolerance and Susceptibility

• Mango is tolerant to phosphorus (P) deficiency
• Mango is not tolerant to potassium (K) deficiency
• Waterlogging susceptible variety: Malbhog
• Salt-resistant rootstocks: Kurukkan, Moovandan, Nekkare

Rootstocks

• Polyembryonic Indian Rootstocks: (Produce true-to-type seedlings and are preferred) Bappakai, Chandrakaran, Goa, Olour
• Introduced Rootstocks: Apricot, Simmonds, Higgins, Pico, Strawberry
• Rootstocks Showing Dwarfing Effect
• Rumani: Dwarfing effect on Dashehari
• Olour: Dwarfing effect on Langra and Himsagar
• Villiacolumban: Dwarfing effect on Alphonso

Significance: Useful for high-density planting and canopy management.

Post-Harvest and Storage

• Harvesting period: March to mid-August
• Storage temperature: Mature fruits: 6–7°C. Ripened fruits: 20°C
• Seed longevity: ~30 days (recalcitrant seeds)
• Disinfestation treatment: Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT). Effective against fruit fly and stone weevil

Types of Mango Cultivars and Their Traits

• North Indian Cultivars
• Bearing habit: Alternate bearing
• Embryony: Monoembryonic
• Self-incompatibility: Common
• Examples:Dashehari, Langra (turpentine flavour), Chausa (sweetest), Bombay Green (early maturing), Fazli (late maturing)

South Indian Cultivars

• Bearing habit: Regular bearing
• Embryony: Polyembryonic
• Examples: Neelam, Banganpalli, Rumani (apple-shaped), Totapuri, Bangalora

Bearing Behaviour

• Regular bearers: Neelum, Totapuri, Amrapali, Gulabkhas, Himsagar
• Alternate bearers: Langra, Dashehari, Bombay Green, Mallika
• Off-season bearers: Niranjan, Madhulica

Important Mango Varieties and Characteristics

Hybrids and Their Characteristics

Export Varieties: Alphonso, Kesar, Gulabkhas

Harvesting, Maturity Indices and Quality Parameters

• Harvesting season: March–Mid August
• Storage life: 2–3 weeks at 13°C and 85–90% RH
• VHT: Recommended for export quality fruits
• Maturity index (Specific gravity): Alphonso: 1.01–1.02. Dashehari: ~1.019
• TSS of good varieties: ~20%
• Highest TSS: Xavier – 24.8° Brix
• Seed longevity: ~30 days