MangoArea Under Cultivation

Mango is almost grown in all states of India. It is mainly cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

Botanical Name :- Mangifera indica

Family :-

Plant Discription : It is a large, branched perennial erect tree with wide evergreen crown which attains a great height.

Flowers appear in large terminal inflorescences producing fruit which is a fleshy drupe.

Nutritional Levels :

Anacardiaceae

Centre of Origin : South East Asia

Pollination System : Cross pollinated

Chromosome No. : 2n=40

Moisture Protein Fat Mineral matter Fibre Carbohydrate Calories(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (K Cal)

81 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.8 16.9 74

Minerals

Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Iron Sodium Copper (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

16 205 14 270 1.3 26 0.11

Manganese Zinc Sulphur Chlorine Molybdium Cromium(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0.13 0 17 3 0 0.006

Vitamins

Carotene Thiamine Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin C Choline Folic acid-Free(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

2743 0.08 0.09 0.9 16 0 0

Folic acid- Total(mg/100g)

0

Moisture Protein Fat Mineral matter Fibre Carbohydrate Calories(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (K Cal)

81 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.8 16.9 74

Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Iron Sodium Copper (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

16 205 14 270 1.3 26 0.11

Manganese Zinc Sulphur Chlorine Molybdium Cromium(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0.13 0 17 3 0 0.006

Carotene Thiamine Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin C Choline Folic acid-Free(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

2743 0.08 0.09 0.9 16 0 0

Folic acid- Total(mg/100g)

0

Minerals

Vitamins

MangoDiseases

Powdery Mildew (Oidium mangiferae) :Powdery mildew is one of the most serious diseases of mango affecting almost all the varieties. The

characteristic symptom of the disease is the white superficial powdery fungal growth on leaves, stalk of

panicles, flowers and young fruits. The affected flowers and fruits drop pre-maturely reducing the crop

load considerably or might even prevent the fruit set. Rains or mists accompanied by cooler nights

during flowering are congenial for the disease spread.

Control : Alternate spraying of Wettable sulphur 0.2 per cent (2 g Sulfex/litre), Tridemorph O.1 per cent

(1 ml Calixin/litre) and Bavistin @ 0.1 % at 15 days interval are recommended for effective control of

the disease. The first spray is to be given at panicle emergence stage.

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) :It is of widespread occurrence in the field and in storage. The disease causes

serious losses to young shoots, flowers and fruits under favorable climatic

conditions (high humidity, frequent rains and the temperature range of 24-

32°C). The disease produces leaf spot, blossom blight, withered tip, twig blight

and fruit rot symptoms. Tender shoots and foliage are easily affected which

ultimately cause die back of young branches. Older twigs may also be infected

through wounds, which in severe cases may be fatal. Black spots develop on

panicles. Severe infection destroys the entire inflorescence resulting in failure

of fruit setting. Young infected fruits develop black spots, shrivel and drop off.

Fruits infected at mature stage carry the fungus into storage and cause

considerable loss during storage, transit and marketing.

Control : The diseased twigs should be pruned and burnt along with fallen leaves. Spraying twice with

Carbendazirn (Bavistin 0.1%) at 15 days interval during flowering controls blossom infection. Spraying

of copper fungicides (0.3%) is recommended for the control of foliar infection.

Postharvest disease of mango caused by anthracnose could be controlled by dip treatment of fruits in 0

Carbendazim (0.1%) in hot water at 52 C for 15 minutes.

Die Back (Botryodiplodia (Lasiodiplodia) theobromae) :Die back is one of the serious diseases of mango. The disease on the tree may be noticed at any time

of the year but it is most conspicuous during October-November. The disease is characterized by

drying of twigs and branches followed by complete defoliation, which gives the tree an appearance of

scorching by fire. Initially it is evident by discoloration and darkening of the bark. The dark area

advances and extends outward along the veins of leaves. The affected leaf turns brown and its

margins roll upwards. At this stage, the twig or branch dies, shrivels and leaf falls. This may be

accompanied by exudation of yellowish brown gum.

Control : Pruning of the diseased twigs 2-3 inches below the affected portion and spraying Copper

Oxychloride (0.3%) on infected trees controls the disease. The cut ends of the pruned twigs are pasted

with Copper Oxychloride (0.3%).

Phoma Blight (Phoma glomerata) : The symptoms of the disease are observed only on old leaves. Initially, the lesions are angular, minute,

irregular, yellow to light brown, scattered over leaf lamina. As the lesions enlarge, their colour changes

from brown to cinnamon and they become almost irregular. In case of severe infection such spots

coalesce forming patches resulting in complete withering and defoliation of infected leaves.

Control : The disease is controlled by spraying Benomyl (0.2%) just after the appearance of the

disease followed by 0.3% Miltox (Copper Oxychloride + Zineb) at 20 day interval.

(e) Bacterial Canker (Xanthomonas campestris pv. mangiferaeindicae) : Canker is a serious disease in India. The disease causes fruit drop (10-70%), yield loss (10-85%) and

storage rot (5-100%). Many commercial cultivars of mango including Langra, Dashehari, Arnrapali,

Mallika and Totapuri are susceptible to this disease. The disease is found on leaves, petioles, twigs,

branches and fruits. The disease first appears as minute water soaked irregular lesions on any part of

leaf or leaf lamina. Several lesions coalesce to form irregular necrotic cankerous patches. In severe

infections the leaves turn yellow and drop off. Cankerous lesions also appear on petioles, twigs and

young fruits. The water soaked lesions also develop on fruits which later turn dark brown to black. They

often burst open, releasing highly contagious gummy ooze containing bacterial cells.

Control : Three sprays of Streptocycline (0.01%) or Agrimycin-100 (0.01%) after first visual symptom

at 10 day intervals and monthly sprays of Carbendazim (Bavistin 0.1%) or Copper Oxychloride (0.3%)

are effective in controlling the disease.

Red Rust (Cepbaleuros virescens) :The disease attack causes reduction in photosynthetic activity and defoliation of leaves thereby

reducing the vitality of the host plant. The disease is evident by the rusty red spots mainly on leaves and

sometimes on petioles and bark of young twigs. . The spots are greenish grey in colour and velvety in

texture. Later, they turn reddish brown. The circular and slightly elevated spots sometimes coalesce to

form larger and irregular spots. The affected portion of stem cracks. In case of severe infection, the

bark becomes thick, twigs get enlarged but remain stunted and the foliage finally dries up.

Control : Two to three sprays of Copper Oxychloride (0.3%) is effective in controlling the disease.

Sooty Mould (Meliola mangiferae) : The disease is common in the orchards where mealy bug, scale insects and hoppers are not controlled

efficiently. The disease in the field is recognized by the presence of a black sooty mould on the leaf

surface. In severe cases, the trees turn completely black due to the presence of mould over the entire

surface of twigs and leaves. The severity of infection depends on the honey dew secretion of the above

insects. Honey dews secretions from insects stick to the leaf surface and provide necessary medium

for fungal growth. Although the fungus causes no direct damage, the photosynthetic activity of the leaf

is adversely affected.

Control : Pruning of affected branches and their prompt destruction followed by spraying of Wettasulf

(0.2% )+ Metacid (0.1 %)+ gum acacia (0.3%) helps to control the disease.

Diplodia Stem-end Rot (Lasiodiplodia theobromae) :The fungus enters through mechanically injured areas on the stem or

skin. The fungus grows from the pedicel into a circular black lesion

around the pedicel.

Control : Careful handling to minimize mechanical injuries.

Postharvest dip of fruits in Carbendazirn (0.1%) in hot water at 52

± 1°C for 15 minutes controls the disease in storage and transit.

MangoDisorders

Spongy Tissue : It is a major problem in Alphonso, where a pulp patch fails to ripen. This malady is caused due to

inactivity of ripening enzymes due to high temperature, convective heat and post harvest exposure to

sunlight.O

Control : Use of mulching and post harvest exposure to low temperatures between 10-15 C for 10-18

hours has been useful in reducing the malady.

Mango Malformation :Malformation is widely prevalent in northern India, particularly in the states of Punjab, Delhi and

western U.P. where more than 50% of the trees suffer from this malady. The malformed panicles

remain unproductive and are characterized by a compact mass of male flowers, greenish in colour and

stunted in growth. The main and secondary rachis is thick and short and bears flowers with relatively

larger bracts, sepals and petals as compared to normal flowers. The malformed panicles remain intact

on the trees for a considerable long period. The complexity of the disorder is attributed to cultural,

nutritional and factors like, mites, fungal, viral, hormonal imbalance etc. The exact cause and control of

the malady is yet to be established.

Control : Spraying of Planofix (200 ppm) during the first week of October followed by deblossoming at

bud burst stage is recommended as a remedial measure against malformation.

Biennial Bearing :The term biennial, alternate or irregular bearing generally signifies the tendency of mango trees to bear

a heavy crop in one year (On year) and very little or no crop in the succeeding year (Off year). Most of

the commercial varieties of north India, namely, Dashehari, Langra and Chausa are biennial bearers,

while south Indian varieties like Totapuri Red Small, Bangalora, and Neelum are known to be regular

bearers. When a tree produces heavy crop in one season, it gets exhausted nutritionally and is unable

to put forth new flush thereby failing to yield in the following season. The problem has been attributed to

the causes like genetical, physiological, environmental and nutritional factors.

Control : For overcoming biennial bearing, deblossoming is recommended to reduce the crop load in

the 'On' year so that it is balanced in the 'Off year. Proper maintenance of orchard by way of effective

control of pests and diseases and regular cultural operations may also result in better performance of

the tree every year.

Soil application of Paclobutrazol (PP ) or Cultar @ 4 g/tree in the month of September resulted in 333

early flowering with higher fruit set and yield. It may be applied every year for regular fruiting,

particularly in young trees.

Ringing of branches is recommended as means of inducing flowering in the 'Off' year. However, Weak,

stunted, unhealthy trees should not be ringed to force flowering. It involves removal of 1 cm wide ring of

bark on a branch of about 15 cm thickness. Ringing stops vegetative growth and results in

accumulation of carbohydrates and other metabolites in the portion of the branch above the ring,

thereby creating physiological condition for flowering. Ringing should be done in August or early

September, well before the time of fruit-bud differentiation.

Fruit Drop : The intensity of fruit drop varies from variety to variety. Among the commercially grown varieties,

Langra is more susceptible to drop, while Dasheri is the least. The fruit drop is more or less a

continuous process and can be classified into three phases, viz. (i) pinhead drop, (ii) post-setting drop

and (iii) May-month drop. The fruit drop in first two phases are insignificant compared to the third phase

which affects the final yield significantly and needs more attention. Embryo abortion, climatic factors,

disturbed water relation, lack of nutrition, attack of disease and pest and hormonal imbalances are the

major factors that lead to fruit drop.

Control : The foliar application of Alar (B-nine) @ 100 ppm or NAA 20 ppm at pea stage of fruit was

found effective in controlling fruit drop in mango.

Black Tip : Black tip is a serious disorder, particularly in the cultivar Dasheri. The affected fruits become

unmarketable and reduce the yield to a considerable extent. The damage to the fruit gets initiated right

at marble stage with a characteristic yellowing of tissues at distal end. Gradually, the colour intensifies

into brown and finally black. At this stage, further growth and development of the fruit is retarded and

black ring at the tip extends towards the upper part of the fruit. Black tip disorder has generally been

detected in orchards located in the vicinity of brick kilns. It has been reported that the gases like carbon

monoxide, sulphur dioxide and ethylene constituting the fumes of brick kiln are known to damage

growing tip of fruits and give rise to the symptoms of black tip. Apart from these factors, irrigation,

condition of the tree and management practices also play important role in deciding the severity of the

disorder.

Control : Planting of mango orchards in North-South direction and 5-6 km away from the brick kilns

may reduce incidence of black tip to a greater extent. The incidence of black tip can also be minimized

by spraying Borax (1%) or other alkaline solutions like caustic soda (0.8%) or washing soda (0.5%).

The first spray of Borax should be done positively at pea stage followed by two more sprays at 15 days

interval.

Clustering in Mango ('Jhumka') :A fruiting disorder, locally known as 'Jhumka', is characterised by the development of fruitlets in

clusters at the tip of panicles. Such fruits cease to grow beyond pea or marble stage and drop down

after a month of fruit set. Absence of sufficient population of pollinators in the orchards is the major

reason. The other reasons causing the disorder are old and overcrowding of trees, indiscriminate

spraying against pests and diseases, use of synthetic pyrethroids, monoculture of Dashehari and bad

weather during flowering.

Control : Introduction of beehives in the orchards during flowering season for increasing the number of

pollinators and restrict insecticidal sprays at full bloom to avoid killing of pollinators.

Pests and diseases should be controlled in time by spraying the recommended pesticides and

concentrations. Spraying of NAA (300 ppm) during October-November is recommended.

The practice of monoculture of a particular variety may be avoided. Particularly in case of Dashehari, 5-

6% of other varieties should be planted in new plantations.

MangoHarvesting

In western India, mango puts forth three growth flushes, the first are in the early spring (February-

March), the second during March-April and the third in the beginning of winter (October-November). In

Bihar, the first growth noticed in early spring, the second in April-May and the third in July-August. In

UP, only two flushes are produced, in March-April and July-August. In Punjab, as many as five flushes

are produced from April-August. April and Mayflushes being found most heavy. In South India, mango

usually gives two growth flushes, one in February-June and the other in October-November. In mango

about 8-10 months old shoots under certain conditions cease to grow at least 4 months prior to

blossoming. These shoots are capable of producing flower buds. Other shoots, which appear in

subsequent flushes during late monsoon, do not come to flowering. These shoots flower during the

next season after accumulating sufficient metabolites necessary for fruit-bud differentiation. Thus the

fruits will be ready for harvest in April-May from a plant flowered during October-November.

The major harvesting seasons in different states are:

States

Maharashtra

Gujarat

Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh

Karnataka

Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of North India

Month of Harvest

April-May (Ratnagiri)

May-June (other areas)

May-June

April-May

April-May (coastal districts)

May (Rayalaseema)

May-July

June-August

The mango fruits should be harvested at green mature stage. In case of Alphonso mangoes the fruit is

considered to be mature when the shoulder outgrow the stem and the external colour becomes light

green with a yellowish red blush. The harvest maturity in Dashehari and Langra cultivars reaches 12

weeks after fruit set, while in Chausa and Mallika it takes about 15 weeks. The best way to observe

maturity in mango is the colour of the pulp, which turns cream to light yellow on maturity and hardening

of stone.

Mangoes are generally harvested at physiologically mature stage and

ripened for optimum quality. Fruits are hand picked or plucked with a

harvester. During harvesting, the latex trickles down the fruit surface from

the point of detachment imparting a shabby appearance to it upon

storage. Therefore the fruits should be harvested with a 10-20cm stem

attached to it. For efficient harvesting of mangoes a simple, low cost and

portable mango harvesting device has been designed and developed at

the Central Institute for subtropical horticulture, Lucknow. Mango fruits are taken into the pouch and

held between the divider and knife and as the device is pulled, the blade cuts the stalk. The fruits are

then conveyed through a nylon chute to collecting boxes without bringing down the device every time.

This saves time and protects fruits from mechanical damage due to impact. It also protects operator's

hand from the sap, which oozes out from the point of detachment. On an average, a man can harvest

about 800 to 1000 fruits per hour with the help of this device, depending on the skill of the worker,

fruiting and height of the tree. It consumes 50 per cent less energy as compared to local methods.

Harvested mangoes should be placed in field containers of not more than 25 kg capacity for movement

to the packing shed. The fruit should be kept in the shade and handled carefully at all times after

harvest.

MangoIntercultural Operations

Training and Pruning :Normally, mango trees do not require frequent pruning. However, the training of the plants in the initial

stages is very essential to give them proper shape. Training becomes very important especially when

the branches are placed at a low level. Therefore at least 75 cm of the main stem should be kept free

from branches and the first leader/main branch is allowed to grow. The main branches should be

spaced in such a way that they grow in different directions and are at least 20-25 cm apart. The

branches, which exhibit tendency of crossing and rubbing each other, should be removed in the pencil

thickness stage. Subsequently pruning is done only to remove the diseased and dead branches.

Weed Control :Immediately after planting the mango, the weed problem may not exist, but it is advisable to break the

crust with hand hoe each time after 10-15 irrigations. However, subsequent hoeing may be done

depending on weed growth in the basin. If the intercrops are not being raised in the pre-bearing stage

due to some reasons, the area between the basins should be ploughed at least three times a year, i.e.,

pre-monsoon, post-monsoon and in the last week of November.

Interculture operations are equally important for the bearing mango orchards. First ploughing should

be done before the onset of rains. This will help in checking run-off losses and facilitate maximum

retention of water in the soil. Orchard may be ploughed again after the rainy season in order to

suppress weed growth and to break capillaries. Third ploughing may be done in the last week of

November or first week of December with a view to check the population of mealy bugs.

The young mango grafts often come to flowering soon after planting or even in the nursery bed. This is

detrimental to their health and vigour, particularly when such flowers are allowed to set fruits. All

inflorescences that may appear during the first four years should be removed immediately after their

emergence.

Intercropping : Mango orchard provides an opportunity for utilizing the land space to its maximum during initial years

of establishment. Crops like green gram, black gram, vegetable crops such as cabbage, cauliflower,

potato, brinjal, cucumber, pumpkin, tinda etc. and spices like chilies can successfully be grown as

intercrops. The partial shade loving crops like pineapple, ginger, turmeric, etc. can be grown in fully-

grown orchards. In addition to field crops, some short duration, less exhaustive and dwarf type inter-

fillers like papaya, guava etc. can also be grown till these do not interfere with the main mango crop.

MangoIrrigation

Amount and frequency of irrigation to be given depends upon the type of soil, prevailing climatic

conditions, especially rainfall and its distribution and age of the trees. No irrigation is required during

the monsoon months unless there are long spells of drought. During the first year when the plants are

very young with shallow root system, they should be watered even at 2-3 days interval in the dry

season. Trees in the age group of 2-5 years should be irrigated at 4-5 days interval. The irrigation

interval could be increased to 10-15 days for 5-8 years old plants during dry season. When trees are in

full bearing stage, generally 2-3 irrigations are given after the fruit set which results in increased fruit-

set, decreased fruit drop, and improvement in fruit size and fruit quality. Frequent irrigation 2-3 months

prior to flowering season should be avoided. It is advisable to irrigate the mango plants in basins

around them to economizing water use. The intercrops need to be irrigated independently as per their

specific requirements.

MangoFertilizer Requirements

Manuring mango plant starts right from planting operation in the orchard. Liberal applications of well-

decomposed organic manure can be given each year to create proper soil physical environment and

on account of several other beneficial effects.

Age of the

Plant (Years)

Fertilizer Dose/Plant /Year

FYM (kg) N (g) P (g) K (g)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

th10 onwards

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

50

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1000

50

100

200

300

400

500

500

500

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1000

Entire dose of the FYM and half dose of N, P and K should be given during monsoon while the balance

half is applied during the end of monsoon. Before the application of fertilizers, the weeds should be

removed from basins. The mixture of recommended dose of fertilizers should be broadcast under the

canopy of plant leaving about 50 cm from tree trunk in old trees. The applied fertilizer should be

amalgamated well up to the depth of 15 cm. To increase fertilizer use efficiency, fertilizers should be

applied in 25 cm wide and 25-30 cm deep trenches dug around the tree 2 m away from trunk.

The application of micronutrients is not recommended as a routine. Need based supplementation's

are essential when these become limiting factor for production. It is advisable to apply micronutrients

through foliar sprays.

MangoPests

Hopper (Idioscopus clypealis, Idioscopus nitidulus and Amritodus atkinson) :Of all the mango pests, hoppers are considered as the most serious and

widespread pest throughout the country. Large number of nymphs and adult insects

puncture and suck the sap of tender parts, thereby reducing the vigour of the plants.

Heavy puncturing and continuous draining of the sap causes curling and drying of

the infested tissue. They also damage the crop by secreting a sweet sticky

substance which facilitate the development of the fungus Maliola managiferae,

commonly known as sooty mould affecting adversely the photosynthetic activities of

the leaves. Hopper population shoots up in February-April and June-August.

Control : Three sprays of 0.15% Carbaryl or 0.04% Monocrotophos or 0.05% Phosphamidon or 0.05%

Methyl Parathion are effective in controlling the hoppers. First spray should be given at the early stage

of panicle formation. The second spray at full-length stage of panicles but before full bloom and the

third spray after the fruits set at pea size stage are recommended.

Biological control agents such as the predators Mallada boninensis and Chrysopa lacciperda, the egg

parasite Polynema sp. and a preparation of the fungus Beauveria bassiana are important and useful in

controlling this pest.

Mealy Bugs (Drosicha mangiferae) :Nymphs and adults suck the plant sap and reduce the vigour of the plant. Excessive and continuous

draining of plant sap causes wilting and finally drying of infested tissue. They also secrete honey dew, a

sticky substance, which facilitate the development of the fungus Maliola mangiferae (sooty mould).

The female adult crawls down the tree in the month of April-May and enter in the cracks in the soil for

laying eggs. Just after hatching, the minute newly hatched pink to brown coloured nymphs crawl up

the tree. After climbing up the tree, they start sucking the sap of tender plant parts. They are considered

more important because they infest the crop during the flowering season.

Control : Flooding of orchards with water in the month of October kills the eggs. Ploughing the

orchards in the month of November exposes the eggs to suns heat. Polythene bands of 400 gauge and

25 cm width fastened around the tree trunk have been found effective barrier to stop the ascent of

nymphs to the trees. The band should be fastened well in advance before the hatching of eggs, i.e.,

during November- December.

Application of 250 g per tree of Methyl Parathion 2% dust in soil around the trunk kills the newly

hatched nymphs.

Spraying of 0.05% Monocrotophos or 0.2% Carbaryl or 0.05% Methyl Parathion is useful in controlling

young nymphs of the mealy bug. The entomogenous fungus Beauveria bassiana is found to be an effective bioagent in controlling the nymphs of this pest.

Inflorescence Midge (Erosomyia indica) :

The midge infests and damages the crop in three different stages. The first attack is at the floral bud

burst stage. The eggs are laid on newly emerging inflorescence; the larvae tunnel the axis and thus

destroy the inflorescence completely. The mature larvae make small exit holes in the axis of the

inflorescence and slip down into the soil for pupation. When the tender fruits are attacked they slowly

turn yellow and finally drop. The third attack is on tender new leaves encircling the inflorescence. The

most damaging one is the first attack in which the entire inflorescence is destroyed even before

flowering and fruiting. The inflorescence shows stunted growth and its axis bends at the entrance point

of the larvae.

Control : As the larvae pupate in the soil, ploughing of the orchard expose pupating larvae to sun helps

in killing them. Soil application of Heptachlor or Methyl Parathion @ 25 to 30 kg/ha kills pupating

larvae in the soil. Spraying of 0.05% Fenetrothion or 0.045% Dimethoate at the bud burst stage of the

inflorescence is effective.

Fruitfly (Daccus dorsalis;, D. zonatus and D. correctus) : The oriental fruitfly is one of the most serious pests of mango in the country, which

has created problem in the export of fresh fruits. The female punctures the outer

wall of the mature fruits with the help of its pointed ovipositor and insert eggs in

small clusters inside the mesocarp of mature fruits. After hatching, the larva feeds

on the pulp of fruit which appears normal from outside, but drops down finally. The

mature maggots fall down into the soil for pupation. The emergence of fruitfly

starts from April onwards and the maximum population is recorded during May-

July, which coincides with fruit maturity. The population declines slowly from August to September after

that it is non-existent up to March.

Control : Bait sprays of Carbaryl (0.2%)+protein hydrolysate (0.1%) or molasses starting at first week of April

and repeated once after 21 days or hanging traps containing 100 ml water emulsion of Methyl Euginol

(0.1%) + Malathion (0.1%) during fruiting is effective. As per the experiments conducted in IIHR, 0

Bangalore against fruit fly, hot water treatment at 48 C for one hour gave total control in Alphonso and

Totapuri.

Scale Insects : (Pulvinanapolygonata, Aspidiotus destructor, Ceroplastis sp. and

Rastococcus sp) :The nymphs and adult scales suck the sap of the leaves and other tender parts and

reduce the vigour of the plants. They also secrete honeydew, which helps in the

development of sooty mould on leaves and other tender parts of the tree. In case of

severe scale infestation, growth and fruit bearing capacity of the tree is affected

adversely.

Control : Pruning of the heavily infested plant parts and their immediate destruction

followed by two sprays of Monocrotophos (0.04%) or Dimethoate (0.06%) at an

interval of 20 days is very effective in controlling the scale population.

Shoot Borer (Chlumetia transversa) :This pest is found all over the country. Larvae of this moth bore into the young shoot resulting in

dropping of leaves and wilting of shoots. Larvae also bore into the inflorescence stalk. Female moths

lay egg on tender leaves. After hatching, young larvae enter the midrib of leaves and then enter into

young shoots through the growing points by tunneling downwards.

Control : The attacked shoots may be clipped off and destroyed. Spraying of Carbaryl (0.2%) or

Quinalphos (0.5%) or Monocrotophos (0.04%) at fortnightly intervals from the commencement of new

flush gives effective control of the pest. A total of 2 to 3 sprays may be given depending on the intensity

of infestation.

Bark Eating Caterpillar (Indarbella quadrinotata) :The old, shady and neglected orchards are more prone to attack by this pest. Larvae of this moth feed

on the bark and weaken the tree. A single female lays about 300-400 eggs in batches on the bark. The

caterpillar spins brown silken web on the tree, which consists of their excreta and wood particles.

Larvae also make shelter tunnels inside the stem in which they rest. Larvae generally feed from April to

December.

Control : Removal of the webs from tree trunks and injecting emulsion of Monocrotophos (0.05%) or

DDVP (0.05%) in each hole and plugging them with mud can control the pest.

Stem Borer (Batocera rufomaculata) : The grub of this beetle causes damage as it feeds inside the stems, boring upward resulting in drying of

branches and in severe cases attacked stem is killed. Eggs are laid either in the slits of tree trunk or in

the cavities in main branches and stems covered with a viscous fluid. Pupation takes place within the

stem. Beetle emerges in July-August

Control : Cleaning the tunnel with a hard wire, pouring kerosene oil, creosote, petrol, crude oil or

formalin and subsequently closing entrance of the tunnel with mud or plugging it with cotton wool

soaked in any of the above substances kills the grub.

Shoot Gall Psylla (Apsylla cistellata) :It is a very serious pest of mango in many parts of India, particularly in Tarai region of U.P., north Bihar

and West Bengal. This pest creates green conical galls in leaf axis. The activity of the pest starts from

August. The galls dry out after emergence of adults in March. The adult females lay eggs in the midribs

as well as in lateral axis of new leaves. Nymphs emerge from eggs during August-September and

crawl to the adjacent buds to suck cell sap. As a result of feeding, the buds develop into hard conical

green galls. The galls are usually seen during September-October. Consequently, there is no fruit set.

Control : The galls with nymphs inside should be collected and destroyed to prevent carryover of the

pest. The pest can effectively be controlled by spraying of Monocrotophos (0.05%), Parathion

(0.04%), Metasystox (0.1%) or Quinalphos (0.05%) at 2 week intervals starting from the middle of

August. Repeated use of same chemical for every spray should be avoided.

Leaf Webber (Ortbaga euadrusalis) :The infestation starts from the month of April and continues up to December. Eggs are laid singly or in

clusters within silken webbings on leaves. Upon hatching, the caterpillars feed on leaf surface by

scrapping. Later, they make web on tender shoots and leaves together and feed within. Old orchards

with lesser space between tree canopy have more infestation than open orchards.

Control : Pruning of infested shoots and their burning in the month of April to July is found effective.

Raking of the soil around the base of the trees in January, after the last generation has pupated, helps

in checking the pest population. Three sprays starting from the last week of July at 15 days interval with

Carbaryl (0.2%) or Monocrotophos (0.05%) or Quinalphos (0.05%) effectively controls the pest.

Stone Weevil (Sternochetus mangiferae) : It is a common pest of mango in southern India. Varieties with high TSS and sugar such as Alphonso,

Bangalora, Neelum, etc. are more prone to attack by this pest.

Female lay eggs under the rind of ripening fruits. Newly emerged grubs bore through the pulp, feed on

seed coat and later cause damage to cotyledons. Pupation takes place inside the seed. Pulp is

discoloured around the affected portion.

Control : The pest population can be kept under check by destroying the affected fruits and exposing

the hibernating weevils by digging the soil.

Spraying the trees with Fenthion (0.01%) is found effective.

In Alphonso and Banganapalli, a single spray of Monocrotophos 36 EC 1.5ml/litre of water at marble

stage gave 100% and 97.5% control of stone weevil respectively. In Totapuri, Carbaryl 50 % WDP @ 4

g/ litre of water is effective in controlling stone weevil.

MangoPost Harvest Technology

Grading : If the fruits are graded according to their size, weight, colour and maturity, both the producer and

consumer are benefited. It has been observed that bigger size fruits take 2-4 days more time in

ripening than smaller ones. Hence, packaging of smaller fruits with larger ones should be avoided to

achieve uniform ripening. Immature, overripe, damaged and diseased fruits should be discarded.

For exports, the stem of the fruits is cut approximately at a length of 1 cm from the fruit with the help of

sharp scissors. Then the fruits are kept up side down for two hours so that the latex flows out from the

fruit completely. For this operation special knitted pallets should be prepared to keep the fruit up side

down. Utmost care should be taken while cutting the stem of the fruit so that latex drop does not fall on

the fruit.

The export quality mangoes are categorised into three grades according to the fruit weight viz.,

Category-I (200-250 g), Category-II (251-300 g) and Category-III (300-350 g).

Mangoes do not normally need any post-harvest treatment for local marketing. It is a general practice

to harvest fruits early in the season (premature stage) to capture early market. These fruits do not ripe

uniformly without any ripening aid. Such fruits could be ripened uniformly by dipping in 750 ppm

Etherel (1.8 ml/litre) in hot water at 52±2°C for 5 minutes within 4-8 days under ambient conditions.

Mature fruits can similarly be ripened with lower doses of Etherel for uniform colour.

Fruits for urban supermarkets may need to be washed if they are heavily contaminated with latex or

dust. On a commercial scale, mangoes for export are sometimes dipped in hot water containing

fungicide for the control of this disease. The treatment is not appropriate for small-scale operations.

The post harvest losses in mangoes have been estimated in the range of 25-40% from harvesting to

consumption stage. If proper methods of harvesting, transportation and storage are adopted, such

losses could be minimized

Packaging : Usually, fruits are placed in layers one above the other, with a straw padding in-between.

Temperatures between 19-21°C during ripening improve the quality of

fruits.

Wooden boxes are commonly used for packaging and transportation of

mango fruits. Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow has

designed and developed CFB Boxes of 5 kg and 10 kg capacity for

packing and shipping of mango fruits successfully as an alternative to

traditional nailed wooden boxes. The use of CFB boxes for packaging for

the domestic market is also the need of the hour due to scarcity of the

wood and environmental concerns of the country. For export purposes, CFB boxes are already in

extensive use. Paper scraps, newspapers, etc., are commonly used as cushioning material for the

packaging of fruits which prevent them from getting bruised and spoiled during storage and

transportation. Polythene (LDPE) lining has also been found beneficial as it maintains humidity, which

results in lesser shrinkage during storage. Wrapping of fruits individually (Unipack) with newspaper or

tissue paper and packing in honeycomb nets helps in getting optimum ripening with reduced spoilage.

Storage :Storage is essential for extending the consumption period of fruits, regulating their supply to the market

and also for transportation to long distances. The mature green fruits can be kept at room temperature

for about-4-10 days depending upon the variety.

For exports, the harvested fruits are pre-cooled to 10-12°C and then stored at an appropriate

temperature. The fruits of Dashehari, Mallika and Amrapali should be stored at 12°C, Langra at 14°C

and Chausa at 8°C with 85-90% relative humidity. The fruits could be stored for 3-4 weeks in good

condition at low temperature.

Controlled atmosphere (CO 3-4 % and O 4-5%) storage of Alphonso mango, under a continuous flow 2 2

0system held at 13-15 C indicated that Alphonso could be kept for 30 days with a post storage ripening

period of 4 to 5 days.

Transport :For local market the harvested fruits are packed in wooden boxes/CFB

and transported by trucks.

Cool Chain :Cool chain is essential during the transport of export quality commodity all the way from the farm to the

customer. This helps in maintaining the temperature inside the box at the same low level as in the cold

storage.

The various stages of the cool chain are :1. Coldstore at the farm.

2. Refrigerated truck from farm to the airport

3. Coldstore at the airport.

4. Building up of the pallet in a coldstore at the airport.

5. Loading the aircrafts directly from the coldstore in a short time.

6. Cargo aircraft maintains coldstore temperature in hold.

7. Off loading direct into a coldstore in the receiving country.

Refrigerated truck to the customers.

MangoPlanting

Prior to planting, field should be deeply ploughed, harrowed and levelled. The planting distance varies

according to variety, the fertility level of the soil and general growth conditions in the area. Where the

growth is excessive, the distance should be 12 x 12m, but in the dry zones where the growth is less, it

can be regulated to about 10 x 10m. For high density planting, the distance can be 5 x 3 or 5 x 2.5 or 3 x

2.5 or 2.5 x 2.5m.

In locations where the soil is loamy and deep, pits of 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5m be dug at desired distances.

However, in shallow and hill soils, the pits should be of 1 x 1 x1 m size. The pits should be filled with the

original soil mixed with 50 kg well rotten FYM. In the top two-third portion, the proportion of the manure

and soil may be kept as 1:3. If the soil is having infestation of white ants, 200-250 g of Aldrex or BHC 5

per cent dust may also be mixed. The pits should invariably be filled before the rainy season, so that

there is maximum settling down before the advent of heavy rainfall.

The best time for planting all over India is during the monsoon season when the humidity level is high.

In the area of heavy rainfall, the best time of planting mango is the end of the rainy season. In tracts

where the rainfall is less, the planting can be done in the early part of the monsoon season for better

establishment. The planting should be done in the evening. If the sky is overcast, planting can be done

during daytime also.

The plant with earth ball intact should be taken out of the polythene bag or pot. The plant can then

be placed in the centre of the pit by excavating as much soil as necessary to accommodate the

earth ball or root ball. The moist soil of the pit is then pressed all around the root ball to complete

the planting process. A small basin is then made and the plant is properly watered. The planting

should not be done so deep as to bury the graft-union in the soil or so high as to expose the upper

roots. It is always better to adjust it at the same height/depth at which it was in the pot/polythene

bag.

MangoPropagation

Mango can be raised from seed or propagated vegetatively.

Several methods of vegetative propagation have been tried with varying degrees of success.

Propagation from seed, though easy and cheap, is unable to perpetuate characters of the parent tree

because most commercial varieties in India are cross-pollinated and monoembryonic. Plants also take

more time to bear fruit. However, it is essential to raise seedlings to be used as rootstocks.

Stone Grafting : Stone/epicotyl grafting is a simple, cheap and quick method of mango propagation with a success rate

of 75-80%. For this purpose, stones should be sown in June-July on raised beds of size 1x3 m. the

beds should e prepared by mixing soil and FYM in the proportion of 2:1. After germination, seedlings

with tender stems having coppery leaves are lifted with stones still attached. The roots and stones are

dipped in O.1 per cent Carbendazirn solution for 5 minutes after washing the soil. The seedling stems

are headed back leaving 6-8 cm long stem. A 4-6 cm longitudinal cut is made running down through the

middle of the stem. A wedge shaped cut starting on both sides is made on the lower part of scion stick.

The scion stick should be 4-5 months old and 10-15 cm long containing plumpy terminal buds. The

scion stick is then inserted in the cleft of the seedlings and tied with polythene strips. The grafts are

then planted in polyethylene bags containing potting mixture. The bags are then kept in the shade

protecting from heavy rain. The scion stars sprouting 15-20 days after grafting. Care should be taken to

remove the sprouts on the rootstocks below the graft union during this period. July is the most suitable

month for stone grafting.

Soft-Wood Grafting :This method of grafting is done when the rootstock is overgrown and thus not suitable for stone

grafting. Normally in this method, seedlings of 8-10 months old are selected. The grafting is done on

newly emerged flush. The scion wood to be used is defoliated 10 days prior to the grafting and has

same thickness as that of terminal shoot. The method of grafting is similar to stone grafting. July and

August are the best months for soft-wood grafting.

Inarching :The method of inarching or approach grafting is quite cumbersome and time consuming, but it is still

the leading method for commercial propagation of mango plants. The method consists of uniting the

selected shoot (scion) of a desired parent tree (mother plant) with the potted or transplanted seedling

(rootstock) by approach grafting. For this purpose, about one-year-old seedlings are most suitable

when they attain a height of about 30-45 cm and thickness ranging from 0.75 to 1.5 cm. These

seedlings are either grown in pots or under the mother plant from which the grafts are to be prepared.

Generally, one-year-old twigs of the scion tree about 60 cm in length and nearly of the same thickness

as that of the stock is chosen for grafting. Young and non-bearing trees should not be selected as

mother plants.

A thin slice of bark and wood, about 5 cm in length, 7.5 mm width and 2 mm deep, is removed by means

of a sharp grafting knife from the stem of the stock as well as from the scion branch. The cuts thus made

should be absolutely flat, clean, boat shaped, even and smooth. The ends of these cuts should be

round and not angular. The cut surfaces of both, i.e., stock and scion are made to coincide facing each

other so that there remains no hollow space between the two. Polythene/alkathene strips of about 1.5

cm in width are tied around the union. After about one month of operation, the scion below the graft

union and stock above the graft union should be given light "V" shape cuts at weekly interval in such a

way that the grafts can finally be detached while giving the fourth cut. In the last stage, the top of the

stock above graft union should also be removed completely.

Inarching should be done during the active growth period. The end of the monsoon in heavy rainfall

areas and early monsoons in the light rainfall areas is the best period for inarching.

Veneer Grafting :This method of propagation possesses promise for mass scale commercial propagation. The method

is simple and can be adopted with success. The rootstocks as mentioned for inarching are suitable for

this method also. For conducting this grafting operation, a downward and inward 30-40 mm long cut is

made in the smooth area of the stock at a height of about 20 cm. At the base of cut, a small shorter cut is

given to intersect the first so as to remove the piece of wood and bark. The scion stick is given a long

slanting cut on one side and a small short cut on the other so as to match the cuts of the stock. The

scion is inserted in the stock so that the cambium layers comes on the longer side. The graft union is

then tied with polythene strip as recommended for inarching. After the scion remains green for more

than 10 days, the rootstock should be clipped in stages.

The scion wood to be used for veneer grafting requires proper preparation. The desired shoots should

be defoliated at least one week prior to grafting so that the dormant buds in the axil of leaves become

swollen.

MangoSoil & Climate

Mango is very well adapted to tropical and subtropical climates. It thrives well in almost all the regions 0 0

of the country from sea level to an altitude of 600 m. The ideal temperature range for mango is 24 -30 C

during the growing season, along with high humidity. A rainfall range of 890-1,015 mm in a year is

considered as ideal for growing mangoes. However, mango can be grown in regions of both heavy

(2540 mm) or scanty (254 mm) rainfall. Dry weather before blossoming is conducive to profuse

flowering. Rain during flowering is detrimental to the crop as it interferes with pollination.

Fog, cloudy weather at the time of flowering from November to February results in poor setting of fruits

and favours pest and disease incidence. Mango grows well on wide variety of soils, such as lateritic,

alluvial, sandy loam and sandy. The loamy, alluvial, well-drained, aerated and deep soils (2-2.5 m) rich

in organic matter with a pH range of 5.5-7.5 are ideal for mango cultivation. The water table should be

around 3 m and soils with high water table are unsuitable for mango.

MangoVarieties

Alphonso (Happus)

State : Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

Fruit medium in size, ovate oblique in shape, orange yellow in colour; juice is moderate-abundant;

excellent keeping quality, good for pulping and canning; mainly exported as fresh fruit to other

countries; Flesh develops spongy tissue.

Bangalora (Totapuri)

State : Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

Fruits medium-large, oblong shaped with pointed base with golden yellow colour; good keeping

quality; used for processing; heavy and regular bearing variety; susceptible to bacterial spot.

Banganapalli (Baneshan, Safeda)

State : Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Variety suited for dry areas; fruit large sized, obliquely oval in shape, golden yellow in colour; good

keeping quality; good for canning; biennial in habit

Bombai (Malda)

State : Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

Variety is alternate bearer; fruit medium, ovate and yellow in colour; keeping quality medium.

Bombay Green

State : Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Fruit size is medium, shape ovate oblong with spinach green colour; keeping quality is medium;

early season variety; biennial in habit Highly susceptible to both vegetative and floral malformation.

Dashehari

State : Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

Best varieties of the country; fruit size is small-medium, shape is elongated with yellow fruit colour,

flesh is fibreless; good keeping quality; mainly used for table purpose; susceptible to mango

malformation. Dashehari-51- regular bearing and yielding clone of Dashehari.

Fernandin

State: Goa.

Fruit size medium-large, fruit shape oval to obliquely oval and fruit colour is yellow with a blush of

red on shoulders; medium keeping quality; mostly used for table purpose.

Himsagar

State: West Bengal and Bihar.

Fruit is medium sized ovate fruit with yellow colour; good keeping quality; early season variety and

mostly used for table purpose.

Kesar

State: Gujarat.

Fruit medium oblong with a red blush on the shoulders; good keeping quality; ideal for pulping and

juice concentrates; early season variety.

Kishen Bhog

State : West Bengal and Bihar.

Fruit medium oval oblique with yellow colour; keeping quality is good; bearing heavy.

Langra

State : Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Punjab.

Trees vigorous and spreading; fruit medium, ovate in shape with lettuce green colour; poor keeping

quality; skin is very thin and pulp is very sweet; alternate bearing variety mostly used for table

purpose.

Mankur

State : Goa and Maharashtra.

The variety develops black spots on the skin in rainy season. Fruit is medium ovate and yellow in

colour. Fruit quality is very good but keeping quality is poor.

Mulgoa

State : Tamil Nadu, Karnataka.

Fruit is large roundish-oblique in shape and yellow in colour; high fruit quality and good keeping

quality.

Neelum

State : Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa.

Fruit is medium ovate-oblique in shape and saffron yellow in colour; good keeping quality; high

yielding and regular bearing; ideal variety for transporting to distant places. This variety is mostly

used for table purpose.

Samarbehisht Chausa

State : Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Fruit large, ovate to oval oblique in shape and light yellow in colour, flesh fibrous; medium keeping

quality; extremely sweet in taste; alternate bearing variety; shows apical dominance. It is mostly

grown for table and processing purpose.

Suvernarekha

State : Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

Fruit medium ovate oblong fruit, green in colour with prominent red blush on the shoulders; good

keeping quality; bearing is heavy.

Vanraj

State : Gujarat.

Fruit medium, ovate oblong in shape with a blush of jasper red on the shoulders; good keeping

quality.

Hybrid Varieties

Malika (Neelum X Dashehari)

Realising Institute : Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.

Fruit large, oblong elliptical yellow in colour; fruit and keeping quality is good and is mostly used for

table purpose

Amrapali (Dashehari X Neelum)

Realising Institute : Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.

Dwarf, regular bearing and late maturing variety; suitable for high density planting; flesh is

fibreless; average yield 16 tonnes/hectare.

Ratna (Neelum X Alphonso)

Realising Institute : Konkan Krishi Vidyapith, Maharashtra.

Tree moderately vigorous, precocious, fruits are medium sized, attractive in colour and free from

spongy tissue

Sindhu (Ratna back-crossed with Alphonso)

Realising Institute : Konkan Krishi Vidyapith, Maharashtra.

Regular bearer, fruits medium sized, fibreless, free from spongy tissue with high pulp to stone ratio

and very thin and small stone.

Arka Aruna (Banganapalli X Alphonso)

Realising Institute : Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bangalore.

Plants are dwarf regular bearing; Fruits oblong; skin is thin, rough and dull yellow in colour with

slight red blush; pulp is soft, pale yellow in colour; free from spongy tissue and fibre, stone is small 035g, TSS 20 Brix; average fruit weight is 500g. The keeping quality is moderate and is mostly

used for table purpose.

Arka Neelkiran (Alphoso x Neelum)

Realising Institute : Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bangalore.

Tree is semi-vigorous in nature; fruit is elliptical, medium size golden yellow in colour, average

weight 270-280g; free from fibre and spongy tissue; keeping quality is good.

Exotic varieties

Pakistan

Table Purpose

Fazli, Suvarnarekha, Gulab Khas, Langra, Alphonso.

Brazil

Table & Processing purpose

Embrapa Roxa 141, Embrapa Alfa 142.

USA

Table & Processing purpose

Haden, Irwin, Tommy Atkins, Keitt.

West Indies

Table purpose

Julie Peter.