Mango
Mangifera indica member of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae) and one of
the most important and widely cultivated fruits
of the tropical world. The mango tree is
considered indigenousto
eastern Asia, Myanmar (Burma),
and Assam state
of India.
Mangoes are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and D.
The tree
is evergreen,
often reaching 15–18 meters (50–60 feet) in height and attaining great age. The
simple leaves are
lanceolate, up to 30 cm (12 inches) long. The flowers—small, pinkish,
and fragrant—are borne in large terminal panicles (loose clusters). Some have
both stamens and pistils, while others have
stamens only. The fruit varies
greatly in size and character. Its form is oval, round, heart-shaped,
kidney-shaped, or long and slender. The smallest mangoes are no larger
than plums,
while others may weigh 1.8 to 2.3 kg (4 to 5 pounds). Some varieties are
vividly colored with shades of red and yellow, while others are dull green. The
single large seed is
flattened, and the flesh that surrounds it is yellow to orange in color,
juicy, and of distinctive sweet-spicy flavor. The mango does not require
any particular soil,
but the finer varieties yield good crops only where there is a well-marked dry
season to stimulate fruit production. In rainy areas a fungal disease known
as anthracnose destroys
flowers and young fruits and is difficult to control. Propagation is
by grafting
or budding. Inarching,
or approach grafting (in which a scion and stock of independently rooted plants
are grafted and the scion later severed from its original stock), is widely
practiced in tropical Asia but is tedious and relatively expensive. In Florida,
more efficient methods—veneer grafting and chip budding—have been developed and
are used commercially.
The
mango is inextricably connected with the folklore and religious ceremonies of India. Buddha himself was
presented with a mango grove that he might find repose in its grateful shade.
The name mango, by which the fruit is known
in English- and Spanish-speaking countries, is most likely derived from the
Malayam manna, which the Portuguese adopted as manga when
they came to Kerala in
1498 for the spice trade.
Probably because of the difficulty in transporting seeds (they retain their
viability a short time only), the tree was not introduced into the Western Hemisphere until
about 1700, when it was planted in Brazil;
it reached the West Indies about
1740.
Mango is a low-calorie
fruit that is high in fiber, and is a great source of vitamins A and C. It also
contains folate, B6, iron and a little calcium, zinc and vitamin E.
Mangoes are a good source of antioxidants,
containing certain phytochemicals such as Gallo tannins and mangiferin.
Benefits
Helps in maintaining cholesterol level
Mangoes contain high
level of vitamin C, fiber and pectin making it a perfect fruit that helps in
controlling high cholesterol level. It helps in cleansing
skin. Another benefit of eating mangoes is that it cleanses
your skin from deep inside your body. It treats pores and gives a glow to your
skin. Hence, eat mangoes to get a flawless skin. Helps in regulating diabetes. Eating mango leaves are
great to regulate diabetes. So, people suffering from diabetes should boil 5-6
mango leaves in a vessel. Soak it overnight and drink the filtered decoction
early in the morning. Also, mango has a low glycemic index, eating mango in
moderation will not increase your blood sugar level.
Helps in alkalizing your body
As mangoes are enriched
with tartaric and malic acid and contain traces of citric acid, it helps in
maintaining the alkali reserve of our body.
A way to lose weight
As mango contains a lot
of vitamins and essential nutrients, eating one mango makes you feel fuller.
Also, as it is loaded with fibrous content, it boosts the digestive function
and burns unwanted calories from the body. This, in turn, helps in losing extra
weight.
An Aphrodisiac fruit
Mango is also known as
the ‘love fruit’. It has the aphrodisiac qualities which also increase virility
in men. So, have mangoes and enhance your love and passion.
For healthy eyes
Mangoes are also loaded
with vitamin A, making it a perfect fruit to improve eye sight. It also
prevents night blindness and dry eyes.
Aids good digestion
The enzymes in mangoes
help in breaking down protein content in the body. Enriched with fibre, mangoes
aid good digestion and prevents many stomach related diseases.
Prevents heat stroke
This summer fruit also
helps in preventing heat stroke. Eating it cools you down instantly and hence
refreshes you. Add this ‘super fruit’ in summer and stay cool during the got
weather.
Help in strengthening immune system
Mangoes also contain
vitamin C, A and other different kinds of carotenoids. All these essential
nutrients are beneficial for your immune system keeping it strong and healthy.
Use it as a body scrub
Apart from eating,
applying mango scrub on your body gives you a smoother and tender skin. You can
make a paste by mashing mangoes and adding honey and milk to it. Gently massage
and leave on for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off to get a great skin.
Improves concentration and memory
If you find it
difficult to concentrate and have low memory, then gorge on mangoes. They not
only help in improving your concentration but also boost your memory.
Contains high iron content
The high iron content
in mango is a natural remedy for anemic people. Also, women should eat mangoes
to increase iron level and calcium content in their bodies.
Cultivation
and production
In Pakistan, total area under fruit cultivation is 853.4 thousand hectares with the production of 7178.8 thousand
tones while area under mango
cultivation is 167.5 thousand hectares with the production of 1,732 thousand
tones being the second major fruit crop of Pakistan after citrus. 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.
Growing districts in Pakistan
The main mango growing districts in the Punjab
province are Multan, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Rahim yar
Khan. In the province of Sindh it
is mainly grown in Mir pur Khas,
Hyderabad and Thatta in
the province of NWFP it
is grown in D.I Khan, Peshawar and Mardan.
Finally, the last consideration for
your mango tree not producing fruit is age. Most mango trees are grafted and
will not begin to bear fruit until three
to five years after planting.
Varieties
of mangoes
Among 1595 varieties of mangoes known,
only 25 to 30 are being grown on commercial scale. The varieties of the king of
the fruit are producing in Pakistan include Chaunsa, Sindhri, Langra, Dasehri,
Anwar Ratool, Saroli, Samar Bahisht, Toota Pari, Fajri, Neelum, Alphanso,
Almas, Sanwal, Surkha, Sunera and Desi
Problems in producing mangoes
The yield of mango is very low in Pakistan primarily because
of inadequate and unbalanced fertilization, high water table and salinity, and
lack of adequate plant protection measures. A variety of fungal diseases namely
malformation, quick decline and anthracnose are the major threat to mangoes
orchards in Pakistan.
Since diseases are the main enemies of mango plant, its orchards
suffer from a number of diseases. For example, three diseases namely powdery
mildew, blossom blight and anthracnose attacked mango orchards at an early
stage of flowering.
Disease damage varies from mild to severe depending upon weather
conditions and management level. Orchard growers resort to as many as six to
seven sprays that add to high cost of producing mango. Yet they remain unable
to limit damage.
The powdery mildew appears from January to March. High humidity
supported by rains and high temperature cause widespread problem of this
disease. The disease is characterized by superficial whitish grey mycelia
growth, initially appearing on flowers and buds. Later the fungus spreads to
fruit, leaves, shoots and trunk. The whole surface of the affected flowers and
young fruit gets covered with a powdery substance consisting of millions of spores.
It necessitates adopting preventive and curative measures
for the control of diseases. Proper research work is essential. Such varieties
must be introduced using germplasm of broad base, which are resistant to
diseases. It was disappointing that not a single commercial variety of mango
was found resistant against quick decline a few years back and the growers cut
down orchards due to quick mortality of mango trees.
Unless recommended cultivars are planted in specific
agro-ecological zones, diseases would continue damaging the crop and would be
difficult to control. For instance, quick decline disease was more devastating
for canal-irrigated orchids but what was the cause of the prevalence of this
disease in these areas is still unknown.
