| Introduction |
|
Mango
(Mangifera Indica) is the most ancient among the tropical fruits
and believed to have originated in the Indo – Burma region. India is the
major mango producing country in the world with an annual production of
8.50 million tonnes from an area of one million hectares. Mango is
basically a tropical plant but endures wide range of temperature. It grows
well under tropical and sub-tropical conditions. It gives profitable yield
in semi-arid conditions, especially with irrigation. |
| Requirement |
|
The mango flowers and
fruits during dry season, which is characterized by absence of rainfall.
Rain or cloudy weather at the time of flowering causes considerable damage
to mango as it adversely affects flowering and fruit set and increases
incidence of pests and diseases. It grows where temperature drops as low
as 00C. And as high as 460C. However, it thrives
best at temperature around 270C. It grows well both in low (25
cm) and high (250 cm) rainfall areas. However with annual rainfall around
75 cm, it grows without irrigation.
The
coconut palm can grow in a wide range of soil conditions ranging from
laterite, alluvial, red, sandy loam having pH range from 5.5 to 8.0. Soil
should be fertile and good drainage without any hard substratum within one
of the surface. |
Varieties |
|
The important commercial mango varieties for different
parts of India are:
North India:
Dashehari, Langra, Chausa, Bombay, Green, Somar Bahist
Eastern India:
Fazli, Krishna Bhog, Himsagar, Gulab Khas, Jardalu
Western India:
Alphonso, Kesar, Pairi, Mankurd, Fernandin.
South India:
Bangalore (Totapuri), Neelam, Baneshan, Badami, Suverna rekha.
Newly Evolved Varieties:
Mallika, Amrapali, Arka Aruna (Hy 10), Arka Puneet (Hy 13), Arka Anmol,
Ratna, Sindhu, Sai Sugandh. |
| Orchard
establishment and care |
|
Pits of 1 x 1 x 1 m are dug at a distance of 10 x 10
meter at plant site in summer. Pits are filled with top soil and 5 to 6
baskets of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and 2.5 Kg. Super Phosphate. To avoid
termite attack 100 gm of 10 percent sevin or chlorudane dust is mixed in
the pit.
Planting of mango grafts of desired variety is done
with commencement of rains while in heavy rainfall regions. Planting is
best done after censation of heavy rains. Selected healthy grafts with
smooth union and true to type, obtained from reliable source should be
planted. At the time of planting, the graft is carefully placed in the pit
after removing the Polythene bag and soil is packed firmly around the
roots. It is irrigated immediately and stalked with bamboo sticks. Young
plants are trained by removing lower branches upto half meter from ground
level, only 4 to 5 well spaced branches are allowed to grow in different
directions to form main limbs of the Tree. Shoots arising on stem below
graft joint are removed regularly.
In young orchards, vegetables and other low growing crops like
groundnut, blackgram, green gram, cowpea are grown as intercrops/
covercrops. Cultivation helps to check the weed and improves the growth of
the trees besides giving some income to the growers till mango plants
start bearing 4-5 years after planting. |
| Fertilisers
|
|
A young orchard be supplied
with 10 kg FYM + 100 Kg Nitrogen (N) + 50 g Phosphorus (P2O5)
+ 100 g Potassium (K2O) per tree in the first year and it
should be increased with age. The 10 year old tree should get FYM + 1 Kg N
+ 500 g P2O5 + 1000 g K2O. If irrigation
is available, additional dose of 500 g N be given in the month of February
– March.
|
| Irrigation |
|
Newly planted grafts be
irrigated at 3-4 days interval for 6 months, thereafter interval should be
8 – 10 days depending upon climate Irrigation interval of 10-15 days is
adequate for 1-5 year old plants. For bearing trees, irrigation should not
be given prior to flowering for 2-3 months as it promotes vegetative
growth and reduces the crop. When the fruits have developed to the size of
a marble, irrigation can be started and continued at weekly or fortnightly
intervals. This helps to reduce fruit drop, promotes rapid fruit
development, early maturity and improves quality. However, mango is mostly
grown as rainfed crop. |
| Plant
protection |
|
Mango hoppers, insect pest and powdery mildew disease
are the major problems on mango, to control both these dusting with 10
percent Carbaryl dust plus sulphur 300 mesh in the ratio of 1:1. Three to
four times at fortnightly intervals starting from prior to the emergence
of first inflorence is recommended. Trunks of the tree should also be
dusted thoroughly.
|
| Harvesting |
|
Mango fruits mature in 3-4
months from flowering, Fruit colour changes from dark green to light green
on maturity. Harvesting should be started after few fruits drop, during
morning hours. Individual fruits are clipped with 1.5 cm stalk using mango
harvester. Harvested fruits are kept on gunny bags under shade. Under
sized, bruized and infested fruits are sorted out and healthy fruits are
graded into 2 – 3 grades depending upon colour, shape and size and
packed in wooden or corrugated boxes.
|
| Export
potential |
|
India is the largest producer
of mangoes in the world accounting for over 63% of total world production.
It accounts for over 60% of the total value of fruits exported from the
country. A substantial quantity of this fruit is also utilised by the
fruit processing industry. Maharashtra has clear advantage due to
exclusive production of Alphonso variety, the share of which in the export
is very high.
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