Thursday 2 May 2013

MANGO National Fruit of India

Its scientific name is Mangifera indica L. belonging to the Anacardiaceae family.
http://www.myguesthouse.com/chaturyatri/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/mangos_on_tree.jpeghttp://vedicbooks.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mango12.jpg

Mango is a perennial tree with a height ranking from 8 to 25 m. Its fruit grow during summer which is originated from inflorescences developed in spring.

These trees grow in a discontinue way; the size increase comes from vegetative shoots which are constantly originating. This grow is restricted in the flowering stage, since inflorescences are determined and the vegetative growth is inhibited when the reproductive organs are developing. The extension of the inhibited period is proportionally to the flowering intensity and the load of the crop.

The development of the terminal inflorescence occurs after a cold period associated to a degree of drought stress. In locations where winter is not cold enough for an adequate flowering induction (minimum daily T° above 15°C), it is common to produce this induction by exposing trees to soil moisture deficiencies (drought stress) before flowering.

The mango tree is drought tolerant and can sustain temporarily flooding. The rainfall distribution has a drastic effect in the crop cycle.

Rainfalls during flowering and fruit development are detrimental for the risk of disease incidence.

Temperatures between 20 to 30°C favor vegetative shoot development while temperatures between 6 to 18°C incentive the initiation of the inflorescence development.

The tree nutritional status has a remarkable effect in fruit quality. Then it is necessary to know the soil and its management practices, such as irrigation and fertilizer program for obtaining a good nutritional balance. The nutrient concentration in the leaves is a proper indicator as reference of this.

The moisture demand during the season is variable in relation to the crop growth stage. So it is important to constantly monitoring the water available in the soil and the irrigation applied in each crop stage to avoid wilting of the inflorescence or fruit drop. This moisture demand is high when new shoots are developing, at flowering and at fruit set

Leaves are susceptible to high salinity. In saline soils (CE < 2ds/m) the irrigation management should be controlled to avoid salt burns. Trees can grow in a wide rage of soils, except in high pH soils since nutritional deficiencies occur and a lower quality fruit is produced. The ideal pH is from 5.5 – 7.0.

National Fruit of India

National Fruit of India - Mango
Mango, cultivated in India since times immemorial, is regarded as the National Fruit of the country. Described as the "Food of the Gods", in the sacred Vedas, the fruit is grown almost in all parts of India, except the hilly areas, but is mainly available in the summer season only. There are more than 100 varieties of mangos in India, in a range of colors, sizes, and shapes. The common names used in context of the fruit are, Mangot, Manga, and Mangou. The eact origin of the term 'mango' is not known. It is believed to have come from the Portuguese term 'manga', which is probably from Malayalam 'manga'.

Mango finds a mentioned in the Indian history as well. In fact, the famous poet Kalidasa is known to have sung its praises. Apart from that, ancient Greek King Alexander the Great and Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang have been said to have savored its taste. Historical records also mention the instance of Mughal Kinf Akbar planting 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, known as Lakhibagh. Mangos, liked for their sweet juice and bright colors all around the world, are known to be rich in vitamin A, C, and D.

Description
Mangoes are available in different sizes, ranging from 10 to 25 cm in length and 7 to 12 cm in width. In terms of weight, a single mango can be as heavy as 2.5 kg. The fruit come in a wide variety of colors, such as green, yellow, red, and even various combinations of all these colors. Mango has a flat, oblong seed in the center, which is covered by the sweet pulp. Covering the pulp is a thin layer of skin, which is peeled off before eating the fruit. When ripe, the unpeeled fruit gives off a distinct, resinous sweet smell.

Varieties
A large number of mango varieties can be found in India. the most popular ones include 'Alphonso' (also called 'Hapoos'), 'Amrapali', 'Bangalora', 'Banganapalli' (also known as 'Benishaan'), 'Bombay', 'Bombay Green', 'Chausa', 'Chinna Rasalu', 'Dashaheri' ('Daseri'), 'Fazli', 'Fernandian', 'Gulabkhas', 'Himayath' (a.k.a. 'Imam Pasand'), 'Himsagar', 'Jehangir', 'Kesar', 'Kishen Bhog', 'Lalbaug', 'Langda' ('Langra'), 'Mallika', 'Mankurad', 'Mulgoa', 'Neelam', 'Pairi', 'Pedda Rasalu', 'Rajapuri', 'Safeda', 'Suvarnarekha', 'Totapuri', 'Vanraj' and 'Zardalu'.

Cultivation
Frost-free climate is best for the growth of Mangos. If temperatures drop below 40° F, even for a short period, the flowers and small fruits already grown on the tree can get killed. In other words, warm and dry weather is required for the cultivation of the fruit. This is it available in the summer season only. Mango can grow well in large containers and a greenhouse as well. Mango trees are shady in nature. They grow very fast and can reach a height of as much as 65 ft. The life of mango trees is generally very long and some specimens are known to be over 300 years old and still fruiting.
 http://jefferson.ifas.ufl.edu/fcs/files/2012/02/Mangos.jpg

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