Pre-harvest-Management-of-Mango

Mangos should be picked before they are fully ripe, at which time they soften and fall. Pick individual fruits with help of ladder or bamboo having sharp knife and having net to collect harvested fruits. Avoid falling of fruits on ground as it will damage fruits during storage.

Plantation Requirements:

  • Soil and climate:

It can be grown on variety of soil. Deep soil without any hard pan upto depth of 4feet is required for mango cultivation. pH of soil should be less than 8.5% (5.5 to 7.5 is preferred). Mangos will grow from sea level to an elevation of about 1,500 feet in Hawaii, but mangos are most productive below 1,200 feet. Temperature must be between 15 to 40°C. Mango is best adapted to hot, dry leeward areas that receive less than 60 inches of rainfall annually, but supplemental irrigation is desirable for highest yields in those areas.

Dry weather during the flowering period is best for fruit production. Wind can damage flowers and reduce yields. Mango trees should be protected from strong winds, but windbreaks that shade or compete with them should be avoided.

  • Spacing:

For grafted varieties use distance of 9m x 9m and plant them in square system.

  • Time of sowing:

Planting is done in month of August-September also in February – March. Do planting on cool hours of evening. Protect crop from high wind.

  • Sowing depth:

Dug pits of 1x1x1m size at distance of 9x9m one month earlier before planting. Expose them to sun. Fill with mixture of soil, 30 to 40 kg of FYM or Compost and 1 kg single super phosphate.

  • Method of sowing:

Square and hexagonal planting can be adopted. Hexagonal planting accommodates 15% more plants.

Pre-treatments:

  • Seed

Before planting, dip stones in solution of Dimethoate for few minutes. It will protect crop from mango weevils. Seed treatment with Captan fungicide protects seeds from fungal infections.

  • Land

Dug pits of 1x1x1m size at distance of 9x9m one month earlier before planting. Expose them to Sun. Prior to planting, use 300g of fertilizers containing phosphorus, potassium and trace elements or well-rotted animal manure. Mix with topsoil and place at the bottom of the planting hole. Refill with topsoil and plant the trees deep enough to allow the root-ball to be covered completely with soil.

Method of sowing:

Monoembryonic mango varieties, like the varieties recommended for Hawaii, have single embryos of hybrid origin and do not produce true from seed. They are propagated by grafting onto seedling rootstocks. Polyembryonic mango varieties, like the so-called common or Hawaiian mango varieties, produce two or more plants of nucellar (maternal) origin from each seed. These plants are predominantly true to type and may be grown from seed without the necessity of grafting.
Grafted trees grow more slowly than seedling trees and are often smaller. Grafted trees usually produce fruit in 3 to 5 years in dry areas, while seedling trees usually take at least five years to come into bearing. Mango trees can remain in production for 40 years or more. Inarching is sometimes done to propagate mango varieties, and older trees may be topworked. Mangos are not propagated from cuttings or by air layering because the resulting trees are weak rooted.

We can also transplant (move plant from one place to another) nursery plant after 1.5- 2.0 year.

Time for transplanting:

  • In spring: Feb/Mar
  • In Autumn: Sep/Oct

Irrigation Schedule:

Amount and interval of irrigation depend upon type of soil, climate and source of irrigation. Mature trees are more productive if irrigation water is withheld for at least two months before flowering. Although hot, dry weather is favorable to fruit development, supplementary irrigation between flowering and harvest is advisable for good yields. After fertilizer application in February month give light irrigation.

  • Each tree needs about 26 gallons (95 liter) of water per week.
  • Irrigation interval
    • Young plant: 7 Days
    • Mature trees in Winter: 15-20 Days
    • Mature trees in Summer: 08-10 Days

Fertilizer:

  • Apply SSP, MOP in Sep before flowering
  • Apply Urea in Mar/ Apr after fruit setting
  • Don’t do manuring near roots or shoot because it may burn it
  • Apply fertilizer 6-8inches away from tree

Pruning and intercrop:

Mango usually assumes a graceful dome shape shading the main trunk. No pruning is practiced, however, annually after fruit harvest diseased, dried, broken branches and those touching the ground should be pruned off. After every 3-4 years, it is advisable that 15-20% of old wood should be removed.

After planting remove inflorescence for better vegetative growth up to four years and at age of five, keep inflorescence for fruit formation. During this period, intercrop can be taken as it helps to give additional income also it helps to reduce weed growth. Onion, tomato, Radish, Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Moong, gram, Lentil, Peach, Plum, and Papaya etc. crops can be taken as intercrop.

Pest and their control:

  • Mealy Bug:

It causes damage to crop by sucking sap from inflorescences, stem, leaves and shoot. Infestation observed mostly in January to April. Mealy bug affected part dried and sooty mould is seen on infected parts.

To prevent tree from mealy bug infestation, 25cm width Polythene(400gauge) strip fastened around tree trunk to stop ascent of nymphs before hatching of eggs in month of Nov and Dec. If infestation is observed, spray Acephate@2gm/Ltr or Spirotetramat@3ml/Ltr of water to control mealy bug.

  • Mango Hopper:

Infestation is observed mostly in February-March Month when crop is in flowering stage. They suck sap from inflorescences, leaves. On infection flower get sticky and sooty mould a black color fungus is developed on affected parts.

If infestation is observed take Spray Cypermethrin 25EC @3ml or Deltamethrin 28EC@9ml or Fenvelarate20EC@5ml or Neembicidine 1000ppm@20ml in 10Ltr water on whole tree.

  • Mango Fruit Fly:

It is serious pest of mango. Females lay eggs below epidermis of young fruits. Later on maggots feed on pulp afterward fruits starts rotting and get drop.

Destroy infected fruits away from field. During fruit developed stage, hang traps of 100ml emulsion of methyl Engenol 0.1%. In May month start spraying of Chlorpyrifos 20EC@2ml/Ltr of water for with interval of 20days.

Disease and their control:

  • Powdery Mildew:

Whitish powdery growth observed on inflorescence and the floral parts. In severe condition, they get drop. Also, fruits, branches and floral part show dieback symptoms.

Before flowering, during flowering and after fruit set, take spray of 1.25kg wet able sulphur in 200litre of water. If needed, take second spray with interval of 10-15days. If infestation is observed in field, take spray of 178% Imidacloprid@3ml along with Hexaconzole@5ml/10Ltr water or Tridemorph@5ml or Carbendazim @10gm/10Ltr of water.

  • Stem Borer

Serious pest of mango crop. It creates tunnel under bark and destroyed tree by feeding on internal tissue. Larva of stem borer excreta is observed outside of tunnel. If infestation is observed, clean tunnel with hard wire and insert cotton swab dip in mixture of Kerosene and Chlorpyriphos in ratio of 50:50 and then closed it with mud.

  • Black Tip:

Fruits get abnormally elongated at tips along with pre-mature ripening of fruits.
During flowering take spray of Borax@6gm/ltr of water + Copper Oxychloride@3gm/Ltr of water for three times with 10-15days interval.

  • Anthracnose or Dieback

Dark brown or black spots are observed on shoots. On fruits also small, raise, dark spots are observed.

To control dieback and other diseases, cut infested, dead portion and apply Bordo Paste on it. Spray Bordeaux mixture@10gm/Ltr of water. If infestation observed in field take spray of Copper oxychloride@30gm/10Ltr on infected trees. If Anthracnose observed on new flush. Spray with Thiophanate methyl@10gm or Carbendazim@10gm/10Ltr of water.

Flowering and Fruit Setting Time:

  • Time of Flowering: Feb/Mar
  • Time of Fruit Setting: June/July
  • Time from Flower to Fruit: 100 to 150 Days
  • Time to Start Bearing Fruit: 3-4 Years
  • Time to Full Bearing Fruit: 6-7 Years
  • Normal Economic Bearing Life: 30-50 Years
  • Expected Yield per Tree: 40-100 Kg

Harvesting:

Changing of fruit color is sign of fruit maturity. Mangos will ripen and may be picked when the flesh inside has turned yellow, regardless of exterior color. The harvest season is usually between June and Sep depending on variety. It usually required 15-16week after fruits set to get mature. The minimum total soluble content for harvesting without sacrificing the quality is 9.0 in case of Banganpalli and 8.5 for Dashehari.

Packaging and Storage:

After harvesting, do sorting and grading of fruits according to size, color and then packed in the Corrugated fiber board baskets with stock end pointing upward to avoid injury to the fruits. After harvesting dip fruits in water. Reject immature fruits which float on water.

After that place fruits in 25gm/Ltr salt water. Fruits which float in salt water are mainly used for export. According to prevention of Food adulteration act (1954) ripening of any food by using Carbide gas is a crime. For uniform ripening of fruits, dip 100kg fruits in 100Ltr of water containing (62.5ml-187.5ml) Ethrel at 52±2°C for 5min within 4-8 days after harvesting. For fruit fly detection in export quality fruits VHT (vapor heat treatment) is compulsory. For this process use 3days prior harvested fruits.