Mango
Mangifera indica
Arbre de Mango, Manguier (French); Manga (Spanish); Manga {fruit}, Mangueira
Mangoes are the most popular fruit in many hot countries such as India, where they
have been grown for at least 4000 years. They are a commonly used feature in the
Hindu religion.
The tree is a large, evergreen perennial, 10–30 m tall, which can live for more
than 100 years. It has a long tap root which can penetrate down six metres, and a
dense surface mass of feeding roots.
Both vegetative and reproductive (flowering) growth happens in “bursts” or
“flushes”, one part of the tree may be producing young flush growth (green, red,
yellow or purple leaves) while the rest of the tree is mature (dark green leaves).
Wild Mango (Oba or Dika) Irvingia gabonensis is unrelated botanically, despite its
yellow, edible fruit which somewhat resembles mango. The oil-rich seed is used in
the treatment of obesity and as a soup thickener, called Ogbono (Agbono) in
Nigeria.
The trees normally flower in January–March in the Northern hemisphere and in
June-August in the Southern Hemisphere. Each inflorescence may have up to 6000
flowers, mainly male, some hermaphrodite. The latter are insect pollinated but only
about 0.1% set fruit. Some varieties are polyembryonic ie each seed produces, in
addition to the sexual seedling, one to five nucellar seedlings which are genetically
identical to the parent plant. Monoembryonic varieties produce only one embryo per
seed, which, because it has arisen from a sexual process, will not grow “true to type”
(ie it will not exactly resemble either parent). With these varieties therefore
uniformity can only be achieved by vegetative propagation.
The fruit is produced 2–5 months after fertilisation. The trees are often biennial
bearing (they only produce a good crop every other year, sometimes only every 3–4
years, or they may fruit only once a year instead of the normal twice a year, or on
only a part of the tree at a time.
Mangoes are grown in most tropical countries, particularly in Asia, as well as in
Florida, Queensland, Egypt and Natal. There are many thousands of named varieties
available, though some are very specific to local conditions, and types are often
chosen more for their colour and flavour than their yield. The production of hybrids
is difficult but possible.
PLANTING
Propagation: can be by seed, transplanted after 4–12 months but this normally
veneer grafting and chip budding are also used in commercial plantations.
in arching (approach grafting) or shield budding. More efficient methods such as
produces poor quality fruit, so the best methods are vegetative, either grafting,
259
Mangoes are members of the cashew family Anacardiaceae. The so-calledGROWING FOOD – THE FOOD PRODUCTION HANDBOOK
{tree} (Portuguese); Am, Amra (Hindi); Am (Pashtu & Dari/Persian)