Mango is India's national fruit and India ranks first in area and production of mangoes worldwide. Some popular mango varieties grown in India include Alphonso, Dashehari, Kesar, Langra, and Neelum. Mango trees require well-draining soil and a warm climate to grow. Proper cultivation practices like irrigation, fertilization, training, pruning, and pest management are needed to maximize mango production. The document provides details on mango botany, cultivation, varieties, and common diseases affecting the crop.

1. Course: B.Sc. Agriculture
Subject: Principles of Horticulture
Unit :4
Cultivation practices of Mango

2. Botanical description
Common Name : Mango
Botanical Name : Mangifera indica L.
Family : Anacardiaceae
Origin : Indo-Burma region
Genus : Mangifera
Species : indica
Chromosome No.: 2n= 40 (Amphidiploid)
Pollination Type : Cross

3. Area and Production
It is national fruit of India.India ranks First in the area and production of
Mango fruit in the world.
In India, Mango is grown in 2.3 million hac. Area with a production of 15.2
MT with an average productivity of 6.6 MT/hac. (in 2010-2011) source NHB.
It is leading fruit crop of India and considered to be the king of fruits. In
India it has been grown for over 400 years. India shares about 56% of total
mango production in the world.
Mongo occupies 22% of the total under fruits in india.
Uttar Pradesh and AP. Are having the largest area under mango each with
around 25% of the total area followed by Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala and
Tamilnadu.
It is also grown in Pakisthan, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaya, Philipines,
Srilanka, Egypt, Africa, Florida, Hawaii, Brazil, Mexico, etc.
North East India is the native place of many Mango species.
Area in Gujarat- 34099 hectares. Growing districts are Valsad , followed by
Junagadh, Surat, Bhavnagar, Kheda, Amreli, Bharuch, Sabarkantha, and
khtch.

4. Popular varieties of mango in different regions
Region Varieties
Eastern Himsagar, Fazli, Langra, Bombay
Western Alphonso, Pairi, Rajapuri, Kesar
Northern Dashehari, Langra, Bombay Green,
Chausa
Southern
Neelum, Banganapalli, Totapuri,
Mulgoa, Raspuri, Swarnarekha,
Rumani, Badami

5. VARIETIES
• About 30 varieties are commercially grown in India and about 95 per cent of the total production is
contributed by states, like U.P., A.P., Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka, T.N., Gujarat, Gao, Kerala, W.B. and
Orissa.
Commercial mango varieties grown in different states
States Varieties
Andhra Pradesh Banganapalli, Suvarnarekha, Neelum and Totapuri
Bihar Bombay Green, Chausa, Dashehari, Fazli, Gulabkhas,
Kishen Bhog, Himsagar, Zardalu and Langra
Gujarat Kesar, Alphonso, Rajapuri, Jamadar, Totapuri, Neelum,
Dashehari and Langra
Haryana Chausa, Dashehari, Langra and Fazli
H.P. Chausa, Dashehari and Langra I
Karnataka Alphonso, Totapuri, Banganapalli, Pairi, Neelum and Mulgoa
Madhya Pradesh Alphonso, Bombay Green, Dashehari, Fazli, Langra and Neelum
Maharashtra Alphonso, Kesar and Pairi
Punjab Chausa, Dashehari and Malda
Rajasthan Bombay Green, Chausa, Dashehari and Langra
Tamil Nadu Alphonso, Totapuri, Banganapalli and Neelum
Uttar Pradesh Bombay Green, Chausa, Dashehari and Langra
West Bengal Fazli, Gulabkhas, Himsagar, Kishenbhog, langra and
Bombay Green

6. Centre Hybrids Parents Characteristics
IARI New
Delhi
Amrapali Dashehari x
Neelum
Drawf,regular bearer, medium size
fruits, high ß-carotene content
Mallika Neelum x
Dashehari
Semi vigouous, regularbearer, fruits
large,high b- carotene content, better
quality content.
IIHR
Bangalore
Arka Aruna Beganpalli x
Alphanso
Dwarf, precocious medium and regular
bearer, fruits large, fibreless, good
flavour, free from spongy tissue.
Arka Anmol Alphanso x
Janardhan
Semi-vigourous, regular bearer, fruit
medium, free from spongy tissue.
Arka
Neelkiran
Alphanso x
Neelum
Semivigourous, late, fruits medium
Arka Puneet Alphanso x
Baganpalli
Semivigourous, heavy and regular
bearer

7. Centre Hybrids Parents Characteristics
RFRS, Paria,
Gujarat
Neeleshan
Neelum x
Baneshan
Dwarf, regular good bearer fruits
medium to large
Neeleshwari
Neelum x
Dashehari
Dwarf, regular bearer
Neelphanso
Neelum x
Alphanso
Dwarf, fruits medium
Sonpari
Alphanso x
Baneshan
Maharashtra Ratna
Neelum x
Alphanso
Moderately, vigourous tree
Sindhu
Ratna x
Alphanso
High yielding, regular bearer, deep
orange colour,good qulity and free from
spongy tissue.

8. Characteristics of Important Indian varieties
Alphonso
• This is the leading commercial variety of
Maharashtra state and one of the choicest
varieties of the country.
• This variety is known by different names in
different regions, viz. Badami, Gundu,
Khader, Appas, Happus and Kagdi Happus.
• Size of fruit -medium
• Shape -ovate oblique
• Colour- orange yellow
• The fruit quality is excellent and keeping
quality is good.
• It has been found good for canning
purpose.
• It is a mid season variety

9. Bangalora
• It is a commercial variety of
south India
• Fruit size- medium to large
• Shape- oblong with necked
base
• Colour- golden yellow
• Fruit quality- poor
• Keeping quality is very good
• It is widely used for
processing
• It is a mid season variety

10. Banganpalli
 It is a commercial variety of
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil
Nadu and also known as
Chapta, Safeda, Baneshan and
Chaptai.
 Fruit size- large
 Fruit shape- obliquely oval
 Colour- golden yellow
 Fruit quality and keeping
quality are good.
 It is a mid season variety and
is good for canning.

11. Bombay Green
• It is commonly grown in
north India due to its early
ripening habit.
• It is also called Malda in
Northern India.
• Fruit size- medium
• Shape- ovate oblong
• Fruit colour- spinach green
• Fruit quality is good and
keeping quality is medium
• It is a very early variety

12. Dashehari
• This variety derives its name
from the village Dashehari near
Lucknow.
• It is a leading commercial variety
of north India and one of the best
varieties of our country.
• Fruit size- medium
• Shape- oblong to oblong oblique
• Colour- yellow
• Fruit quality is excellent keeping
quality is good.
• It is a mid season variety
• Mainly used for table purpose

13. Himsagar
• This variety is indigenous to
Bengal
• This is one of the choicest
varieties of Bengal and has
gained extensive popularity.
• Fruit size- medium
• Shape- ovate to ovate oblique
• Fruit colour- yellow
• Both fruit and keeping
quality are good
• It is an early variety.

14. Kesar
• This is a leading variety of
Gujarat with a red blush on
the shoulders
• Fruit size- medium
• Shape- oblong
• Keeping quality is good
• It is an early variety.

15. Langra
• This variety is indigenous to
Varanasi area of Uttar
Pradesh
• It is extensively grown in
northern India
• Fruit size- medium
• Shape- ovate
• Colour- lettuce green
• Fruit quality is good
• Keeping quality is medium
• It is a mid season variety

16. Neelum
• This is a commercial variety
indigenous to Tamil Nadu.
• It is an ideal variety for
transporting to distant places
owing to its high keeping
quality.
• Fruit size- medium
• Shape- ovate oblique
• Colour- saffron yellow
• Keeping quality is very good
• It is a late season variety

17. Chausa
• This variety originated as a
chance seedling in the orchard
of a Talukadar of Sandila
district Hardoi, U.P.
• It is commonly grown in
northern parts of India due to its
characteristic flavour and taste.
• Fruit size- large
• Shape- ovate to oval oblique
• Colour- light yellow
• Fruit quality is good keeping
quality is medium.
• It is a late variety.

18. Hybrid Varieties
• This hybrid is from a cross
of Dashehari x Neelum.
• It is dwarf, regular bearing
and late maturing variety.
• The variety is suitable for
high density planting as
about 1600 plants may be
planted in a hectare.
• It yields on an average 16
tonnes / hectare.
Amarapali

19. Mallika
• It is from a cross of Neelum
x Dashehari
• Fruit size- large
• Shape- oblong elliptical
• Colour- cadmium yellow
• Fruit and keeping quality
are good
• It is a mid season variety

20. Arka Aruna
• It is a hybrid between
Baganpalli and Alphonso.
• It is dwarf and regular
bearing.
• Fruits are large having
attractive skin colour with
red blush
• Free from spongy tissue

21. Arka Puneet
• It is a hybrid between
Alphonso and Banganpalli.
• It regular and prolific
bearer.
• Fruits size- medium having
attractive skin colour with
red blush
• Free from spongy tissue.
• Excellent keeping quality.

22. Ratna
• This hybrid is from a cross
of Neelum x Alphonso.
• Tree vigorous, precautions
• Fruits are medium sized,
attractive in colour
• Free from spongy tissue.

23. Sindhu
• It is from a cross of Ratna x
Alphonso.
• It is regular bearer
• fruits size- medium
• Free from spongy tissue
• High pulp to stone ratio and
very thin and small stone.

24. Soil and climate
Ideal soil for mango is red loamy. Good drainage is
preferable for better establishment. Ideal pH range is
from 6.5 to 8.0.
Season of planting
Planting spreads from July to December.

25. PROPAGATION
Sexual Propagation:
• Seed
Vegetative Propagation:
• Inarching / approach
grafting
• Veneer grafting
• Stone Epicotyl
grafting
• Soft-wood grafting
• Budding
• Air layering

26. PLANTING
• Time of planting- during the monsoon when there is sufficient moisture in
the atmosphere (July to December).
• Planting distance- 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 12 m, but
in the dry zones where the growth is less, it can be regulated to about 10 x
10 m.
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 2.5 m.
• Size of pits- In locations where the soil is loamy and deep, pits of 0.5 x
0.5 x 0.5 m be dug at desired distances. However, in shallow and hill
soils, the pits should at last be of 1 x 1 x 1 m size.
• Filling of pits- 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 dust may also be mixed.

27. Training and pruning
The training of the plants in the
initial stages is very essential
to give them proper shape.
Rootstock sprouts and low
lying branches (at least 75 cm
of the main stem ) have to be
removed.
Remove overlapping,
intercrossing, diseased, dried
and weak branches in old trees
to get good sunlight and
aeration.
For the internal branches,
pruning may be done during
August – September, once in
three years.
Flowering should not be
allowed up to three years.

28. FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS
• Fertilizers may be applied in two split doses , one half immediately after the
harvesting of fruits in June/July and the other half in October, in both
young and old orchards followed by irrigation if there are no rains. Foliar
application of 3 % urea in sandy soils is recommended before flowering.
•
• The following table gives the details of fertilizer applied (depending upon
the age of the plants) :
*The doses applied in the subsequent years should be increased every year
upto 10 years in the multiple of the first year’s dose.
• Well decomposed farm-yard manure may be applied every year. For trench
application of fertilizers, 400g. each of N and K2O and 200g. of P2O5 per
plant should be provided. Micro-nutrients may be applied as per the
requirement in the form of foliar sprays.
Age of plants (in year)
1*
10
11
Fertilizer applied
100g N, 50g P, 100g K.
1kg N, 500g P, 1kg K
do

29. IRRIGATION
• Amount and frequency of irrigation depends upon the type of soil, prevailing
climatic conditions.
• 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 every 2-3 days 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.
• Profuse irrigation during 2-3 months proceeding the flowering season is not
advisable. Irrigation should be given at 50 per cent field capacity.
• Generally, intercrops are grown during the early years of plantation and
hence frequency and method of irrigation has to be adjusted accordingly.
• It is advisable to irrigate the mango plants in basins around them which can
be connected in series or to the irrigation channel in the centre of rows.

30. INTERCROPPING
• It is always advisable to avoid tall growing exhaustive crops like maize,
sugarcane, bajara, etc.
• Some fertility restoring crops like legumes and leguminous cover crops
should be included into the intercropping patterns. 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, peach, plum, etc. can also be grown
till these do not interfere with the main mango crop.
• Leguminous crops of like green gram, black gram, gram; etc., cereals
like wheat; oilseeds like mustard, sesame and groundnut and vegetables
crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, potato, brinjal, cucumber,
pumpkin, bitter gourd, lady’s finger, etc. and spices like chillies can be
successfully grown as intercrops.

31. DISEASES
• The characteristic symptom of the disease is the white superficial powdery
fungal growth on leaves, stalks of panicles, flowers and young fruits. The
affected flowers and fruits drop before attaining pea size.
• Control : Following three sprays of fungicides at 15 days interval
recommended for effective control of the disease :
Wettable sulphur 0.2 per cent (2 g Sulfex / lit. water).
Tridemorph 0.1 per cent
( 1 ml Calixin / lit. water).
Dinocap 0.1 per cent
(1 ml / g Karathane / lit. water).
Powdery mildew (Oidium mangiferae )

32. Anthracnose
• The disease causes serious losses to young shoots, flowers and fruits under
favourable climatic conditions of high humidity, frequent rains and a temperature of
24-32oC.
• The disease produces leaf spot, blossom blight, wither tip, twig blight and fruit rot
symptoms.
• Cause ‘die back’ of young branches.
• Severe infection destroys the entire inflorescence resulting in no setting of fruits.
• Control: Trees may be sprayed twice with Bavistin (0.1%) at 15 days interval
during flowering to control blossom infection. Spraying of copper fungicides
(0.3%) is recommended for the control of foliar infection.

33. Die back (Botryodiplodia theobromae)
• The disease on the tree may be noticed at any time of the year but it is
most conspicuous during Oct.-Nov.
• The disease is characterized by drying of twigs and branches followed
by complete defoliation, which gives the tree an appearance of
scorching by fire.
• The areas of cambium and phloem show brown discolouration and
yellow gum like substance is found in some of the cells.
• Control :
(i) Prune the diseased twigs and spray with copper oxychloride (0.3%)
on infected trees. Pruning should be done in such a way that the twigs
are removed 2-3 inches below the affected portion.
(ii) In small plants, pruning of twigs is followed by pasting of copper
oxychloride.

34. PESTS
• Control
a) Chemical : Three sprays of 0.15%
Carbaryl or 0.05% Phosphomidon or
0.05% Methyl Parathion have been
found very useful in controlling the
pest population.
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
The third spray after the fruits are set and have attained pea stage are
recommended.
b) Biological : 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 the important useful bio agents to
control this pest.
HOPPER

35. Mealy Bug
Control
(i) Mechanical : Polythene (400 gauge) bands
of 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., around November - December.
(ii) Chemical : Application of 250 g per tree of Methyl Parathion dust 2% or
Aldrin dust 10% in the soil around the trunk kills the newly hatched nymphs
which come in contact with the chemical.
Spraying of 0.05% Monocrotophos or 0.2% Carbaryl or 0.05% Methyl
Parathion have been found useful in controlling early instar nymphs of the
mealy bug.
(iii) Biological : Menochilus sexmaculatus, Rodolia fumida and Sumnius
renardi are important predators in controlling the nymphs. The entomogenous
fungus Beauveria bassiana is found to be an effective bio agent in controlling
the nymphs of the mealy bug.

36. Fruit Fly
Control
Chemical : The adult fruit flies
can be controlled by bait sprays
of carbaryl (0.2%) + protein hydrolysate
(0.1%) or molasses starting at pre-
oviposition stage (first week of April),
repeated once after 21 days. Another method to control these flies is to
hang traps containing a 100 ml water emulsion of methyl eugenol
(0.1%) + Malathion (0.1%) during fruiting (April to June). About 10
such traps are sufficient for one hectare of orchard.

37. Red rust
Symptoms
• Rusty spots appear on leaves,
initially as circular, slightly
elevated, coalesce to form
irregular spots.
• The spores mature fall off and
leave cream to white valvet
texture on the surface of the
leaves
 Control
Bordeaux mixture (1%), or
Copper oxychloride 0.25%

38. • Shoot borer
• Bark-eating
caterpillar
• Stem borer
• Shoot gall psylla
• Leaf webber
• Stone weevil

39. Physiological Disorders
 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.
Causes: The complexity of the disorder is attributed cultural practices, nutritional, to
many factors like, mites, fungal, viral, hormonal imbalance etc.
Symptoms
 Three types of symptoms: bunchy top phase, floral malformation and vegetative malformation.
 In bunchy top phase in nursery bunching of thickened small shoots, bearing small
rudimentally leaves. Shoots remain short and stunted giving a bunchy top appearance.
 In vegetative malformation, excessive vegetative branches of limited growth in seedlings.
They are swollen with short internodes forming bunches of various size and the top of the
seedlings shows bunchy top appearance.
 In malformation of inflorescence remain unproductive and are characterised by a compact
mass of male flowers, greenish in colour and stunted in growth.
 Secondary branches are transformed into number of small leaves giving a witches broom
appearance.
Mango malformation

40. Control measures
The exact cause and control of the malady is yet to be
established.
Use of disease free planting material.
Diseased plants should be destroyed.
Incidence reduced by spraying 100-200ppm NAA during
October.
Pruning of diseased parts with the basal 15-20 cm
apparently healthy portions.
 Followed by the spraying of Carbendazim (0.1%).

41. Alternate Bearing or Biennial Bearing
• Factors:
– Environmental factors
– Age and Size of shoot
– Crop load
– Hormonal control
– C : N ratio
– Varietal influence
 Refers to heavy fruiting in one years (ON YEAR) followed by less or no fruiting
in the following year (OFF YEAR).
Control Measures:
 Deblossming and thinning of fruit
 Smuding
 Use of Plant growth regulator
 Pruning
 Application of KNO3
 Growing regular bearing varieties

42. Fruit Drop
 Despite high fruit set initially, the ultimate retention is quite low in mango.
The intensity of fruit drop, varies from variety to variety.
 The fruit drop is more or less a continuous process and can be classified into
three groups : (i) Pinhead drop, (ii) Post-setting drop and (iii) May-month
drop.
 The fruit drop in first two groups are insignificant compared to the third group
which affects the final yield significantly and needs more attention.
 Major factors: Embryo abortion, climatic factors, disturbed water relation,
lack of nutrition, disease, pest and hormonal imbalances.
 Control: The foliar application of Alary (B-nine) @ 100 ppm or NAA 20 ppm
at pea stage.
 Among the commercially grown varieties, Langra is more susceptible to drop
while Dashehari is the least.

43. Maturity
Fruits generally require 95 to 115 days mature after flowering
Building of shoulders and a slight depression near the stalk
‘end’
Colour changes from dark green to pale green
Red blush develop on the fruits shoulders
 When one or two ripe fruits fall from the plant naturally
When the specific gravity of fruits ranges between 1.01 to
2.0

44. Flesh Firmness vs Ripeness Stage of Mangos
Ripeness stage Flesh firmness (lb-force
with 5/16 inch tip
penetrometer)
Notes
Mature-green >14 Treat with ethylene
for 48 hours
Partially-ripe 10-14 Treat with ethylene
for 24 hours
Firm-ripe 6-10 Best stage to send
to retail stores
Soft-ripe 2-6 Best stage for eating
Over-ripe <2 Good for juice

45. Harvesting
 The harvesting in mango should be done in the morning hours and fruits should be
collected in plastic trays and kept in shades.
 The fruits should not be allowed to fall on the ground as the injured fruits cause
spoilage to other healthy fruits during packaging and storage.
 Fruits harvested with 8-10 mm long stalks appear better on ripening as undesired spots
on skin caused by sap burn are prevented.
 Fruits harvested by stick are injured / bruised due to impact resulting in decay, poor
quality and attract low price. Traditional methods consume a lot of energy.
 To overcome these problems, a simple, low cost and portable mango harvesting device
has been designed and developed at CISH, Lucknow.
 This saves time and protects fruits from mechanical damage due to impact.
YIELD: In mango yield is varies with the variety. The average mango yield is 8 tonnes
/hec. Which varies with the region. Andhra and Bihar are highly productive with this
respect. HDP increase yield of mango.

46. 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.
 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).

47. Storage
• The mature green fruits can be kept at room temperature for about 4-
10 days depending upon the variety.
• Shelf life of fruits could be extended by pre-cooling, chemical
treatments, low temperature, etc.
• The harvested fruits are pre-cooled to 10-12oC and then stored at an
appropriate temperature.
• The fruits could be stored for 3-4 weeks in good condition at low
temperature.
• The problem of chilling injury at low temperature can be overcome
by keeping the fruits in 0.5% ventilated polythene bags.
• The fruits of Dashehari, Mallika and Amrapali should be stored at
12oC, Langra at 14oC and Chausa at 8oC with 85-90% RH.

48. Web References:
1. nhb.gov.in/report_files/mango/MANGO.htm
2. skuast.org/site/Templates%20HTML/extension/package.pdf
3. agritech.tnau.ac.in/horticulture/horti_fruits_mango.html
4. www.agriinfo.in