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.