MANGO (Mangifera indica)

Basic Information

• Botanical Name: Mangifera indica
• Family: Anacardiaceae
• Origin: Indo-Burma region
• Fruit type: Drupe (stone fruit)
• Edible Part: Mesocarp
• National Fruit: India
• Nickname: King of fruits / Bathroom fruit
• Richest in: Vitamin A (4800 IU)
• Climacteric: Yes
• Pollinator: Housefly
• Best TSS: Good variety has ≥ 20%
• Storage Freezing Point: 1°C

Global & National Significance

• India’s Share in World Production: ~54.2%
• Highest Producing Country: India
• Highest Productivity (Country): Venezuela
• Top Producing State in India: Uttar Pradesh (~23%)
• Districts with Two Mango Crops: Kanyakumari & Madurai (TN)

• Two crops/year: Kanyakumari & Madurai (Tamil Nadu)
• First mango hybridization: 1911 by Burns and Prayag at Pune
• Caging technique: By Dr. R.N. Singh
• Polyembryonic in India: Mulgoa
• Polyembryonic in Florida: Mulgoa becomes polyembryonic

Soil and Climate Requirements

• Ideal Soil: Well-drained loamy soil
• Ideal Temperature: 24–27°C
• Low Temp Injury: Susceptible below 5°C
• Storage Conditions: 13°C, 85–90% RH, 2–3 weeks
• Freezing point: 1 °C

Storage temperature:

• Mature fruit: 6–7 °C
• Ripened fruit: 20 °C
• Long-term storage: 13 °C at 85–90% RH
• Mangoes are sensitive to cold: Store above 5 °C to avoid injury

Propagation

• Commercial Method: Veneer grafting (April–October)
• Recent Method: Epicotyl stone grafting (Konkan region)
• Other Methods: Inarching, Softwood grafting
• Softwood Grafting Standardized by: Dr. R.S. Amin (GAU, Gujarat)

Planting

• Time: June–July (Monsoon)
• Spacing:
  • Desi: 10–12 m
  • Grafted: 8×8 m
  • Amrapali (High density): 2.5×2.5 m (1600 plants/ha)

Flowering and Fruit Set

• Perfect flowers: Highest in Langra (68.9%), Lowest in Rumani (0.74%)
• Fruit Set: Only 0.1–1% perfect flowers mature into fruits
• Pollinating agent: Housefly
• Improving Fruit Set: 2,4-D spray @ 10 ppm
• Pollinating Variety: Bombay Green (Highest Vit-C)
• Self-Incompatibility: Dashehari, Langra, Chausa, Bombay Green
• Clustering (Jhumka): Due to low temperature, poor fertilization, improper pollination
• Deblossoming: Done to control malformation

Physiological & Nutritional Disorders

• Spongy Tissue: Due to convection heat (seen in Alphonso; first observed by Cheema and Dhani, 1934)
• Black Tip: Observed by Woodhouse, 1909
• Internal Necrosis: Boron deficiency
• Malformation (Vegetative/Fruit): Due to fungi & low temperature (first observed 1891, Bihar)
• Deblossoming: Controls malformation

Tolerance

• Tolerant to P Deficiency, not K deficiency
• Waterlogging Susceptible Variety: Malbhog
• Salt-Resistant Rootstocks: Kurukkan, Moovandan, Nekkare

Rootstocks

Polyembryonic Indian Rootstocks:

1. Bappakai
2. Chandrakaran
3. Goa
4. Olour

Introduced Rootstocks:

1. Apricot
2. Simmonds
3. Higgins
4. Pico
5. Strawberry

Dwarfing Effects:

• Rumani: On Dashehari
• Olour: On Langra & Himsagar
• Villiacolumban: On Alphonso

Post-Harvest & Storage

• Harvesting Period: March to mid-August
• Storage Conditions:
  • Mature Fruit: 6–7°C
  • Ripened Fruit: 20°C
• Longevity of Seeds: ~30 days
• Disinfection: Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) against fruit flies and stone weevil

Types & Traits

• North Indian Cultivars: Alternate bearers. Monoembryonic. Self-incompatible Ex. Dashehar, Langra (turpentine flavour), Chausa (sweetest), Bombay Green (early maturing), Fazli (late-maturing)
• South Indian Cultivars: Regular bearers. Polyembryonic Ex. Neelam, Banganpalli, Rumani (apple shaped), Totapuri, Bangalora
• Regular Bearing Varieties: Neelum, Totapuri, Amrapali, Gulabkhas, Himsagar
• Alternate Bearing Varieties: Langra, Dashehari, Bombay Green, Mallika
• Off-season Bearers: Niranjan, Madhulica

Important Varieties

Hybrids and Characteristics

Export Varieties

• Alphonso
• Kesar
• Gulabkhas

Harvesting & Post-Harvest

• Harvesting Time: March to Mid-August
• Storage Duration: 2–3 weeks at 13 °C and 85–90% RH
• VHT (Vapour Heat Treatment): Recommended for fruit fly & stone weevil control
• Maturity Index:
  • Alphonso: Specific gravity 1.01–1.02
  • Dashehari: SG ~1.019
• Longevity of Seeds: ~30 days
• TSS in good varieties: ~20%
• Highest TSS: Xavier (24.8° Brix)