Mango
Mango is the national fruit of India, known as the ‘King of Fruits’. It is one of the most important and popular Asian fruits. Cultivation of Mangoes is deeply embedded in Indian history. Mangoes are mentioned in early Arialkrit literature. Mangoes are widely available year-round, as fresh fruit and in frozen and processed foods. Mangoes thrive in tropical regions, and are cultivated throughout India and even in home yards, along field boundaries and roadside avenues.
It is believed that Mangoes originated in northeast India, northwestern Myanmar and Bangladesh. They, later spread to the rest of Asia by themselves and with the help of humans. They have been cultivated, praised and revered since ancient times.
Botanical description:
Mango (Mangifera indica), family Anacardiaceae, is a large, branched perennial erect tree with wide evergreen crown which attains a great height. Flowers appear in large terminal inflorescences producing fruit. The skin of the fruits may be green, yellow, or red, depending upon the variety of the fruit. The fruits have a small point at one end, known as the beak. The seed within the fruit is large and flattened.
Tree is medium to large in height, evergreen with symmetrical, rounded canopy ranging from low and dense to upright and open. Bark is usually dark grey-brown to black, rather smooth, superficially cracked or inconspicuously fissured, peeling off in irregular, rather thick pieces. The leaves are alternately arranged, lanceolate shaped, 6 to 16 inches (15 to 40.6 cm) in length and leathery in texture. They are pinkish, amber or pale green-coloured when young, and become dark green at maturity. Seedling trees live much more than 100 years whereas grafted ones live only 80 years or less.
Mangoes vary in shape (nearly round, oval, ovoid-oblong), size and color, depending upon the variety. Ripe Mangoes may be greenish, greenish-yellow, yellow, red, orange, or purple and weigh from a few ounces to more than 5 pounds (2.3 kg). The skin is smooth and leathery, surrounding the fleshy, pale-yellow to deep-orange edible portion. The fruits possess a single large, flattened, kidney-shaped seed that is enclosed in a woody husk.
Mango nutrition:
The fruit contains nearly 81 per cent moisture, 0.4 per cent fat, 0.6 per cent proteins, 0.8 per cent of fibers. It also contains nearly 17 per cent of carbohydrate. The fruit is rich with important minerals contains important minerals like Potassium, magnesium, Sodium, Phosphorus, and Sulphur
Facts about Mango:
- The name ‘Mango’ is derived from Tamil word ‘mangkay’ or ‘man-gay’.
- When Portuguese traders settled in Western India, they adopted its name as ‘manga’
- The Mango is known as the ‘king of fruit’ throughout the world.
- Mangos originated in Nort-East India, Burma and Andaman Islands and bordering Bay of Bengal.
- Around 5th century B.C., Buddhist monks are believed to have introduced Mango to Malaysia and eastern Asia.
- Persian traders took the Mango into the Middle East and Africa, from there Portuguese brought it to Brazil and West Indies.
- Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830’s and in California in the 1880’s.
- The Mango tree plays a sacred role in India. It is a symbol of love and some believeØ that the Mango tree can grant wishes.
- In the Hindu culture, hanging fresh Mango leaves outside front door during Ponggol (Hindu New Year) and Deepavali is considered a blessing to house.
- Mango leaves are used at weddings to ensure the couple bears plenty of children
- Hindus also brush their teeth with Mango twigs on holy days.
- Many Southeast Asian kings and nobles had their own Mango groves; with private cultivars being sources of great pride and social standing.
- Burning of Mango wood leaves and debris releases the toxic fumes, which can cause serious irritation to eyes and lungs.
- Mangos are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the Mango is green, amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases
- The fruit of the Mango is called a Drupe – consisting of the mesocarp (edible fleshy part) and endocarp (large woody, flattened pit).
- Mango is a member of the Anachardiaceae family. Other distant relatives include the cashew, pistachio, Jamaica plum, poison ivy and poison oak.
- Dermatitis can result from contact with resinous latex sap that drips from stem end when Mangos are harvested. Mango fruit skin is not considered edible.
- Every part of the Mango is utilised in some form or another. Bark, leaves, skin or pit, all have been concocted into various types of treatments or preventatives down through centuries. A partial list of many medicinal properties and purported uses attributed to the Mango tree are as follows: anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-tussive (cough), anti-asthmatic, expectorant, cardiotonic, contraceptive, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative, stomachic (beneficial to digestion).
State-wise varieties of Mangoes
| States | States Important Varieties |
| Andhra Pradesh | Banganpalli, Bangalora,Cherukurasam, Himayuddin, Suvarnarekha, Thothapuri, Kesar, Dhasseri, Himayat, Peddarasam, Chinnarasam, Manjeera, Neeleshan, Amarapali, Mallika, Ratana, Arkapuneet, Sindhu, K.M.H.-1 |
| Bihar | Bombai, Langra, Fazri, Himsagar, Kishen Bhog, Sukul, Bathua |
| Goa | Fernandin, Mankurad, Alphonso |
| Gujarat | Alphonso, Kesar, Rajapuri, Vanra |
| Haryana | Dashehari, Langra, Bombay Green |
| Karnataka | Alphonso, Bangalora, Mulgoa, Neelum, Pairi, Totapuri, Raspuri, Baneshan, Kesar, Mallika, Dasheri, Sindhura, Hybrid 10, Hybrid 13 |
| Kerala | Mundappa, Olour, Pairi,Neelam,Nadassala,Suvarnarekha,Muthalamookkam |
| Madhya Pradesh | Alphonso, Bombai, Langra and mostly seedling types |
| Maharashtra | Alphonso, Kesar, Mankurad, Mulgoa, Pairi, Rajapuri, Neelam, Totapuri |
| Orissa | Baneshan, Langra, Neelum, Suvarnarekha and mostly seedling types |
| Punjab | Dashehari, Langra, Chausa |
| Tamil Nadu | Banganpalli, Bangalora, Neelum, Rumani, Mulgoa, Alphonso, Kalepad, Sendurga, Malguavo, Immampasant, Kallmai |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bombay Green, Dashehari, Fajri, Langra, Safeda Lucknow, Chausa, Ratual, S.Saurabh, Amarpalli, Malihabadi, Bombay yellow |
| West Bengal | Bombai, Himsagar, Kishan Bhog, Langra |