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POMEGRANATE

1.

INTRODUCTION

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the commercially important fruit crops of India. It is native to Iran (Persia).

2.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this report is to present a one acre bankable model for high quality commercial cultivation of the crop. 3. BACKGROUND

3.1

Area & Production

Pomegranate is cultivated commercially only in Maharashtra. Small scale plantations are also seen in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

3.2

Economic Importance

Fruit is consumed fresh or in the form of juice, jam, squash and syrup. Among all forms, canned slices and juice are in much demand in India, constituting about 70% of the production.

4.

MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

4.1

Export/Import Trends

India exports pomegranate mainly to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Netherlands etc. Varieties which are in demand internationally include Ganesh and Aarakta. The trend in export of pomegranate from India during the period 1999-2000 to 2001-02 is given in Graph 1.

Table-1 : Country-wise export of pomegranate from India during 2001-02.

Country Quantity
(Tonnes)

Value
(Rs. inlakhs)

U.A.E.

3224.55 653.77 Oman 415.92 123.75 U.K. 202.82 82.19 Bahrain 198.87 51.77 Kuwait 149.64 31.06 Netherlands 150.07 23.66 Saudi Arabia 172.32 28.43 Others 259.51

47.22 Total 4773.70 1041.85 Source: APEDA,New Delhi

4.2

Analysis and Future Strategy

Development of infrastructure facilities for transport to primary markets, standardization of packaging techniques are aspects which need special attention. Processing facilities also need to be created in the major producing states for value addition.

5.

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

5.1

Agro-climatic requirements

Pomegranate grows well under semi-arid conditions and can be grown upto an altitude of 500 m. above m.s.l.. It thrives well under hot, dry summer and cold winter provided irrigation facilities are available. The tree requires hot and dry climate during fruit development and ripening. Pomegranate tree is deciduous in areas of low winter temperature and an evergreen or partially deciduous in tropical and sub-tropical conditions. It can tolerate frost to a considerable extent in dormant stage, but is injured at temperature below - 110 C.

Well drained, sandy loan to deep loamy or alluvial soils is suitable for cultivation.

5.2

Varieties Cultivated

Important pomegranate varieties cultivated in India are Alandi or Vadki, Dholka, Kandhari, Kabul, Muskati Red, Paper Shelled, Spanish Ruby, Ganesh (GB I), G 137, P 23, P 26, Mridula, Aarakta, Jyoti, Ruby, IIHR Selection, Yercaud 1 and Co 1.

5.3

Land Preparation

Land is prepared by ploughing, harrowing, leveling and removing weeds.

5.4

Planting

5.4.1

Planting Material

Pomegranate is propagated vegetatively by cuttings, air layering or gootee. 5.4.2 Planting season

Air layering is usually done during the rainy season and also in November-December. Planting is usually done in spring (February-March) and July-August in sub-tropical and tropical regions respectively. 5.4.3 Spacing

High density planting is adopted in temperate regions. A spacing of 5-6 m. in northern India and also in the plains of Deccan plateau is usually followed. High density planting with a spacing gives 2-2.5 times more yield than that obtained when the normal planting distance of 5 X 5 m. is adopted. Farmers have adopted a spacing of 2.5 X 4.5 m. Closer spacing increases disease and pest incidence. 5.4.4 Planting Method

Square system of planting is mostly adopted. Planting distance is decided on the basis of soil type and climate. A spacing of 4-5 m. on marginal and very light soils is recommended.

Pits of 60 X 60 X 60 cm. size are dug (at a spacing of 5 cm. in square system) about a month prior to planting and kept open under the sun for a fortnight. About 50 g. of 5% BHC or carbaryl dust is dusted on the bottom and sides of the pits as a pre-caution against termites. The pits are filled with top soil mixed with 20 kg. farmyard manure and 1 kg. super phosphate. After filling the pit, watering is done to allow soil to settle down. Cuttings/air layers are then planted and staked. Irrigation is provided immediately after planting. 5.5 Nutrition

The recommended fertilizer dose is 600-700 g. N, 200-250 g. P2O5 and 200-250 g. K2O /tree/year. Application of 10 kg. farmyard manure and 75 g. ammonium sulphate to 5 year old tree annually is adequate , whereas application of 50 kg. farmyard manure and 3.5 kg. oil cake or 1 kg. sulphate of ammonia prior to flowering is ideal for healthy growth and fruiting. The time of application is December/January for ambe bahar, May/June for Mrig bahar and October/November for hasthe bahar.

The basal dose of farmyard manure @ 25-40 cart-loads /ha. besides the recommended doses of N, P and K should be applied to non-bearing trees in 3 split doses coinciding with growth of flushes during January, June and September. Fruiting should be encouraged from fourth year onwards. Nitrogenous fertilizer is applied in two split doses starting at the time of first irrigation after bahar treatment and next at 3 weeks interval, whereas full dose of P and K should be applied at one time. These should be applied in a shallow circular trench below tree canopy not beyond a depth of 8-10 cm. After application, fertilizers are covered with top soil and irrigated.

5.6

Irrigation

First irrigation is provided in case of mrig bahar crop in the middle of May followed by regular irrigation till the monsoon sets in. Weekly irrigation in summers and that during winters at fortnightly intervals is recommended. The check basin system of irrigation is usually followed.

5.6.1

Drip Irrigation

The average annual water requirement through drip irrigation is 20 cm. Drip irrigation helps to save 44% on irrigation and 64% when sugarcane trash mulch is used. It also helps to increase the yield by 30-35%.

5.7

Training

Plants are trained on a single stem or in multi-stem system. Since the crops trained on single stem training system are more susceptible to pests viz. stem borer and shoot hole borer, the other system is more prevalent in the country.

5.8

Pruning

Pruning is not much required except for removal of ground suckers , water shoots, cross branches , dead and diseased twigs and also to give shape to the tree. A little thinning and pruning of old spurs is done to encourage growth of new ones.

5.9

Inter-cropping

Inter-cropping with low growing vegetables, pulses or green manure crops is beneficial. In arid regions, inter-cropping is possible only during the rainy season, whereas winter vegetables are feasible in irrigated areas.

5.10

Regulation of bearing

Pomegranate plants flower and provide fruits throughout the year in central and southern India. Depending on patterns of precipitation, flowering can be induced during June-July (mrig bahar), September-October (hasta bahar) and January-February (ambe bahar). In areas having assured rainfall where precipitation is normally received in June and continues upto September, flowering in June is advantageous; where monsoon normally starts in August, flowering during August is beneficial. Areas having assured irrigation potential during April-May, flowering during January can be taken and where monsoon starts early and withdraws by September induction of flowering in October is possible. Considering comparable yields, prices and irrigation needs it is recommended that October cropping could be substituted for January flowering. 5.11 Plant Protection Measures

5.11.1 Insect Pests Insect pests mostly observed are fruit borer, mealy bugs, aphids, white fly and fruit sucking moths. Spraying with dimethoate , deltamethrin or malathion etc. depending upon the type of pest infestation has been found to be effective in most cases. 5.11.2 Diseases

The main diseases reported are leaf spot and fruit rot. Application of Mancozeb (2g./l.) during rainy season in case of the former and application of Kavach (2g./l) and Carbendazim/Thiophanate methyl/Baycor/Benomyl (1g./l.) during September/October in case of the latter has been found to be effective in most cases.

5.11.3 Disorders

Fruit cracking is a serious disorder. This physiological disorder observed in young fruits is due to boron deficiency and that in fully grown fruits is mainly due to moisture imbalances. Tolerant varieties viz. Bedana Bose and Khog may be cultivated and in other cases spraying with calcium hydroxide soon after fruit set has been found to be beneficial.

5.12

Harvesting and Yield

Pomegranate being a non-climacteric fruit should be picked when fully ripe. Pomegranate plants take 4-5 years to come into bearing. Harvesting of immature or over mature fruits affects the quality of the fruits. The fruits become ready for picking 120-130 days after fruit set. The calyx at the distal end of the fruit gets closed on maturity. At maturity, the fruits turn yellowish-red and get suppressed on sides.

6.

POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

6.1

Grading

Fruits are graded on the basis of their weight, size and colour. The various grades are super, king, queen and prince-sized. Besides that, pomegranates are also graded into two grades- 12A and 12 B. Fruits of 12-A grade are generally preferred in southern and northern region.

6.2

Storage

Fruits can be stored in cold storage upto 2 months or 10 weeks at a temperature of 5 0 C. Longer storage should be at 100 C and 95% RH to avoid chilling injury and weight loss.

6.3

Packing

The size of packages varies according to the grade of the fruits. Corrugated fibre board boxes are mostly used. In a single box, 4-5 queen sized fruits, 12 prince sized and some of 12-A and 12-B grades may be packed. The white coloured boxes having 5 plies are generally used for export purpose, whereas red-coloured ones having 3 plies are used for domestic markets. The red coloured boxes are cheaper than white coloured ones. The cut pieces of waste paper are generally used as cushioning material.

6.4

Transportation

Road transport by trucks/lorries is the most convenient mode of transport due to easy approach from orchards to the market.

6.5

Marketing

Majority of the growers sell their produce either through trade agents at village level or commission agents at the market.

7.

TECHNOLOGY SOURCES

Major sources for technology are:

(i)

Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessarghatta, Bangalore-560089, Karnataka. Directorate of Horticulture, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra-560003. Directorate of Horticulture, Lalbagh, Bangalore, Karnataka. Progressive growers of Maharashtra.

(ii) (iii) (iv)

8.

ECONOMICS OF A ONE ACRE MODEL

8.1

High quality commercial cultivation of crop by using high quality planting material and drip irrigation leads to multiple benefits viz.

Synchronized growth, flowering and harvesting; Reduction in variation of off-type and non-fruit plants; Improved fruit quality;

Costs & Returns

8.2

A one acre plantation of the crop is a viable proposition. Project cost of the model, along with the basis for costing are exhibited in Annexures I & II. A summary of the project cost is given in the table below.

Cost Components of a One Acre Model Pomegranate Plantation

(Amount in Rs.) Sl. No. 1. Component Cultivation Expenses (i) (ii) (iii) (v) 2. Cost of planting material Manures & fertilizers Insecticides & pesticides Others, if any, (Power) Sub Total Irrigation (i) (ii) (iii) 3. 4. Tube-well/submersible pump Cost of Pipeline Others, if any Sub Total Cost of Drip/Sprinkler Infrastructure (i) (ii) (iii) (iii) 5. Store & Pump House Labour shed Agriculture Equipments & Implements Others, if any, please specify Sub Total Land Development (i) (ii) (iii) Soil leveling Digging Fencing Sub Total 6. Land, if newly purchased (Please indicate the year)* Grand Total 4000 29600 33600 1,75,000 45000 45000 20000 30000 5000 10000 45000 4000 11000 4000 8800 3600 31400 Proposed Expenditure

(iv) Cost of Labour

(iv) Others, if any, please specify

*Cost of newly purchased land will be limited to one-tenth of the total project cost

8.3

The major components of the model are:

Land Development: (Rs.4.0 thousand): This is the labour cost of shaping and dressing the land site. Fencing (Rs.29.6 thousand): barbed wire fencing. It is necessary to safeguard the orchard by a

Irrigation Infra-structure (Rs.45.0 thousand): For effective working with drip irrigation system, it is necessary to install a bore well with diesel/electric pumpset and motor. This is post cost of tube-well. Drip Irrigation (Rs.20.0 thousand): This is average cost of one acre drip system for apple inclusive of the cost of fertigation equipment. The actual cost will vary depending on location, plant population and plot geometry. Implements (Rs.10.0 thousand): For investment on improved manually operated essential implements a provision of another Rs.10 thousand is included. Building and Storage (Rs.35.0 thousand): A one acre orchard would require minimally a labour shed and a store-cum grading/packing room & pump house. Cost of Cultivation (Rs.31.40 thousand): Land preparation and planting operations will involve 300 days of manual labour, the cost of which will come to Rs.8.8 thousand. The cost of planting material (200 plants per acre) works out to Rs.4.0 thousand @ Rs.20.0 per plant.

8.4

Labour cost has been put at an average of Rs.70 per man-day. The actual cost will vary from location to location depending upon minimum wage levels or prevailing wage levels for skilled and unskilled labour.

Inter-cropping

Since the orchard would be start giving yield from 5th year onwards, it is proposed to take up inter-cropping particularly off season vegetables which would cost Rs.10000/per acre and would yield on average 6 tonnes/acre valued at Rs.30000.

8.5

Recurring Production Cost: Recurring production costs are exhibited in Annexure III. The main components are planting material, land preparation, inputs application (FYM, fertilizers, micro-nutrients liming material, plant protection chemicals etc.), power and labour on application of inputs, inter-cultural and other farm operations.

8.6

Returns from the Project: The yield from the plantation is obtained from 5th year onwards. The yield goes up from 4.0 tonnes per acre in the 5th year to 7 tonnes per acre in the 8th year onwards. Valued at Rs.15,000 per tonne the return goes up from Rs.0.60 lakhs to Rs.1.05 lakhs (Vide Annexure-III).

Project Financing

8.7

Balance Sheet: The projected balance sheet of the model is given at Annexure IV. There would be three sources of financing the project as below:

Source

Rs. Thousand

Farmers share (50%)

87.50

Capital subsidy (20%) Term loan Total (30%)

35.00 52.50 175.00

8.8

Profit & Loss Account: The cash flow statement may be seen in Annexure V. Annexure VI projects the profit and loss account of the model. Gross profit goes up from Rs.31.2 thousand in year 5 to Rs.68.8 thousand in year 8.

8.9

Repayment of Term Loan: The term loan will be repaid in eleven equated 6 monthly installments of Rs.4.77 thousand with a moratorium of 60 months. The rate of interest would have to be negotiated with the financing bank. It has been put at 12% in the model (vide Annexures VII & VII A).

8.10

Annexure VIII gives depreciation calculations.

Project Viability:

8.11

IRR/BCR: The viability of the project is assessed in Annexure IX. The IRR works out to 39.24 and the BCR to 2.5 over a period of 15 years.

8.12

The Debt Service coverage ratio calculations are presented in Annexure X. The average DSCR works out to 4.62.

8.13

Payback Period: On the basis of costs and returns of the model, the pay back period is estimated at 4.18 years (vide Annexure XI).

8.14

Break-even Point: The break even point will be reached in the third year. At this point fixed cost would work out to 52.3% of gross sales (vide Annexure XII).

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Plantation / Horticulture
Mango Cultivation

Mango (Mangifera indica) is the leading fruit crop of India and considered to be the king of fruits. Besides delicious taste, excellent flavour and attractive fragrance, it is rich in vitamin A&C. The tree is hardy in nature and requires comparatively low maintenance costs. Mango occupies 22% of the total under fruits comprising of 1.2 million hectares, with a total production of 11 million tonnes. Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are having the largest area under mango each with around 25% of the total area followed by Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Mango fruit is utilised at all stages of its development both in its immature and mature state. Raw fruits are used for making chutney, pickles and juices. The ripe fruits besides being used for desert are also utilised for preparing several products like squashes, syrups, nectars, jams and jellies. The mango kernel also contains 8-10 percent good quality fat which can be used for soap

and also as a substitute for cola in confectionery. Fresh mangoes and mango pulp are the important items of agri-exports from India. India's main export destinations for mango are UAE, Kuwait and other Middle East countries with a limited quantity being shipped to European market. Although, India is the largest mango producing country, accounting about 60% of world production, the export of fresh fruit is limited to Alphonso and Dashehari varieties. India's share in the world mango market is about 15 percent. Mango accounts for 40 percent of the total fruit exports from the country. There is good scope for increasing the area and productivity of mango in the country. Climate : Mango can be grown under both tropical and sub-tropical climate from sea level to 1400 m altitude, provided there is no high humidity, rain or frost during the flowering period. Places with good rainfall and dry summer are ideal for mango cultivation. It is better to avoid areas with winds and cyclones which may cause flower and fruit shedding and breaking of branches. Soil : Mango comes up on a wide range of soils from alluvial to laterite provided they are deep (minimum 6') and well drained. It prefers slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5 to 7.5) Varieties :
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Though there are nearly 1000 varieties of mango in India, only following varieties are grown in different states : Alphonso, Bangalora, Banganpalli, Bombai, Bombay Green, Dashehari, Fazli, Fernandin, Himsagar, Kesar, Kishen Bhog,Langra, Mankhurd, Mulgoa, Neelam, Samarbehist, Chausa, Suvarnarekha, Vanaraj and Zardalu. Recently some mango hybrids have been released for cultivation by different institutes / universities. A brief introduction to such varieties is presented below : Mallika - It is a cross between Neelam and Dashehari. Fruits are medium sized cadmium coloured with good quality, reported to be a regular bearer. Amrapali - It is a cross between Dashehari and Neelam. It is a dwarf vigorous type with regular and late bearing variety. It yields on an average 16

t/ha and about 1600 plants can be accommodated in one hectare. Mangeera : It is a cross between Rumani and Neelam. It is a semi vigorous type with a regular bearing habit. Fruits are medium sized with light yellow coloured skin, firm and fibreless flesh and sweet to taste. Ratna : It is a cross between Neelam and Alphonso. It is a regular bearer and free from spongy tissue. Fruits are medium sized with excellent quality. Flesh is firm and fibreless, deep orange in colour with high TSS (19-21 Brix). Arka Aruna : It is a hybrid between Banganapalli and Alphonso with regular bearing habit and dwarf in stature. About 400 plants can be accommodated per hectare. Fruits are large sized (500-700 gm) with attractive skin colour. Pulp is fibreless, sweet to taste (20-22 Brix). Pulp percentage is 73 and the fruits are free from spongy tissue. Arka Puneet : It is a regular and prolific bearing hybrid of the cross between Alphonso and the Banganapalli. Fruits are medium sized (220-250 gm) with attractive skin colour, having red blush. Pulp is free from fibre, pulp percentage being 70 percent. Fruits are sweet to taste (20-22 Brix) with good keeping quality and free from spongy tissue. It is a good variety for processing also. Arka Anmol : It is a semi-vigorous plant type from the cross between Alphonso and Janardhan Pasand. It is also a regular bearing and free from spongy tissues. Fruits ripen to uniform yellow colour. Keeping quality of the fruit is very good and it is suitable for export. It has got excellent sugar and acid blend and fruits weigh on an average about 300 g Pulp is orange in colour. Propagation : Farmers should always get vegetatively propagated, true to type plants from recognised nurseries. Inarching, veneer grafting, side grafting and epicotyl grafting are the popular methods of propagation in mango. Planting : Land should be prepared by deep ploughing followed by harrowing and levelling with a gentle slope for good drainage. Spacing varies from 10 m x 10 m, in the dry zones where growth is less, to 12 m x 12 m, in heavy rainfall areas and rich soils where abundant vegetative growth occurs. New dwarf hybrids like Amrapali can be planted at closer spacing. Pits are filled with original soil mixed with 20-25 kg well rotten FYM, 2.5 kg single super phosphate and 1 kg muriate of potash. One year old healthy, straight growing grafts from reliable sources can be planted at the centre of pits along with the ball of the earth intact during rainy

season in such a way that the roots are not expanded and the graft union is above the ground level. Plants should be irrigated immediately after planting. In the initial one or two years, it is advisable to provide some shade to the young plants and also stake to make them grow straight. Training and pruning : About one meter from the base on the main trunk should be kept free from branching and the main stem can be allowed thereafter spaced at 20-25 cm apart in such a way that they grow in different directions. Branches which cross over/rub each other may be removed at pencil thickness. Fertiliser Application : In general, 170 gm urea, 110 gm single super phosphate and 115 gm muriate of potash per plant per year of the age from first to tenth year and thereafter 1.7 kg, 1.1 kg, and 1.15 kg respectively of these fertilisers per plant per year can be applied in two equal split doses (June-July and October). Foliar spray of 3% urea is recommended before flowering in sandy areas. Irrigation : Young plants are watered frequently for proper estalbishment. In case of grown up trees, irrigation at 10 to 15 days interval from fruit set to maturity is beneficial for improving yield. However, irrigation is not recommended for 2-3 months prior to flowering as it is likely to promote vegetative growth at the expense of flowering. Inter cropping : Inter crops such as vegetables, legumes, short duration and dwarf fruit crops like papaya, guava, peach, plum, etc. depending on the agro-climatic factors of the region can be grown. The water and nutrient requirements of the inter crops must be met separately. Plant Protection : Mango is prone to damages by a large number of pests, diseases and disorders. The recommended control measures for most important and common among them are briefed below : Mango hopper : Two sprays (at panicles emergency and at pea size of fruits) of carbaryl (0.15%), monocrotophos (0.04%) or phosphamidan (0.05). Mealy bug : Ploughing inter spaces in November and dusting 2% methyl

parathion @200 g per tree near the trunk and fixing 20 cm wide 400 gauge polythene strips around the trunk with grease applied on the lower edge in January as prophylactic measures and two sprays of monocrotophos (0.04%) at 15 days interval as control are needed. Powdery mildew : Two to three sprays of wettable sulphur (0.2%) or Kerathane (0.1%) at 10-15 days interval. Anthracrose : Two sprays of Baristin (0.1%) at fortnight interval. Malformation : One spray of 200 ppm NAA in October followed by deblossoming at bud burst stage in December - January. Fruit drop : Regular irrigation during fruit development, timely and effective control of pests and diseases and spraying 20 ppm NAA at pea size of fruits. Harvesting and yield : Graft plants start bearing at the age of 3 - 4 years (10-20 fruits) to give optimum crop from 10-15th year which continues to increase upto the age of 40 years under good management. Post Harvest Management : Storage : Shelf life of mangoes being short (2 to 3 weeks) they are cooled as soon as possible to storage temperatue of 13 degree Celcius. A few varieties can withstand storage temperature of 10 degree Celcius. Steps involved in post harvest handling include preparation, grading, washing, drying, waxing, packing, pre-cooling, palletisation and transportation. Packaging : Mangoes are generally packed in corrugated fibre board boxes 40 cm x 30 cm x 20cm in size. Fruits are packed in single layer 8 to 20 fruits per carton. The boxes should have sufficient number of air holes (about 8% of the surface area) to allow good ventillation. Financial institutions have also formulated mango financing schemes in potential areas for expansion of area under mango. Individual mango development schemes with farm infrastructure facilities like well, pumpset, fencing and drip irrigation system etc. have also been considered. Farm model for financing one hectare mango orchard is furnished in the Annexure I. Unit Cost : The unit cost varies from state to state. The cost presented here is indicative only. The enterpreneurs and the bankers are requested to consult our Regional Offices for the latest information in this regard. The unit cost

estimated for this model scheme is Rs.34400/- per ha capitalised upto the fifth year. The break-up deatails are given in Annexure I. Financial Analysis : Results of financial analysis are indicated below :
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NPW at 15% DF : Rs.59058 (+) BCR at 15% DF : 2.34 IRR : 25.59% Detailed analysis is presented in Annexure II. Margin Money : The margin money assumed in this model scheme is 5% of the total financial outlay. Interest Rate : Interest rate may be decided by the banks as per the guidelines of RBI. Security : Banks may charge such security as permissible under RBI guidelines. Repayment : The bank loan with interest is repayable within 14 years with 7 years grace period as shown in Annexure-III. Annexure - I Cost and Income from Mango Cultivation (Rs. per ha) Spacing : 10m x 10m Plant population : 100 Estimated cost:

Sr. No.

Particulars 1 2 -1100

Year 3 -1100 4 -1400 5 -1400

Total

1 2

Planting material Manures & Fertilisers

2200 3000

2200 8000

3 4

Plant protection Sprayer & implements Fencing Irrigation Labour Intercropping Miscellaneous Total

1100 1500

600 --

600 --

700 --

700 --

3700 1500

5 6 7 8 9

2500 1800 3200 1500 600 17400

-500 1200 -500 3900

-500 1200 -500 3900

-500 1500 -500 4600

-500 1500 -500 4600

2500 3800 8600 1500 2600 34400

Projected income:

Annexure III Repayment Schedule (Mango Cultivation) Total Financial Outlay(Rs) 34400 Margin money @ 5% of TFO((Rs.) 1720 Bank Loan(Rs.) 32680 (Amount in Rs.)

Repayment period is 14 years including 7 years grace period

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MANGOES IN INDIA

This site is developed for all who are interested in mangoes. For further questions/ information you can send comments or mail to msite@horticultureworld.net Mango Site | Home

CLICK ON RED COLOURED LINES FOR DETAIL VARIETIES: Characteristics of important Indian varieties, Hybrid Varieties PORPAGATION : Inarching, Veneer grafting, Budding, Stone Epicotyl grafting, Soft-wood grafting, Air layering PLANTING: Time of planting, Planting distance, Size of pits, Filling of pits, Planting of grafts, Training and pruning FERTILIZERS Quantity of fertilizer, Time of fertilizer application, Method of fertilizer application IRRIGATION, INTERCULTURE, INTERCROPPING REJUVENATION OF MANGO ORCHARD DISEASES: Powdery mildew, Anthracnose, Die back , Phoma blight , Bacterial canker, Red rust , Sooty mould Postharvest Diseases PESTS Hopper, Mealy bug , Inflorescence midge, Fruitfly, Scale insects, Shoot borer, Barkeating caterpillar, Stem borer, Shoot gall psylla, Leaf webber, Stone weevil DISORDERS: Mango malformation, Biennial bearing, Fruit drop, Black tip, Clustering disorder in mango (Jhumka) MATURITY, HARVESTING, PACKAGINGSTORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION, PROCESSING:Raw mango products Pickle, Amchoor, Slices, Green mango beverage: Ripe mango products: Pulp, Beverages (Juice and Nectar), Squash, Slices, Mango Leather or Aam Papad WASTE UTILIZATION

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the most important fruit of India. It is grown over an area of 1.23 million hectares in the country producing 10.99 million tonnes. It accounts for 22.1 per cent of total area (5.57 million ha) and 22.9 per cent of total production of fruits (47.94 million tonnes) in the country. Though Uttar Pradesh has the largest area of 0.27 million hectares under mango, Andhra Pradesh has the highest productivity of 12 tonnes per hectare. While Andhra Pradesh produces 3.07 million tonnes of mango, U.P., Bihar and Karnataka produce 2.39, 1.79 and 0.92 million tonnes, respectively. India ranks first

among worlds mango producing countries accounting for 52.63 per cent of the total worlds mango production of 19 million tonnes. CLIMATE Mango is very well adapted to tropical and subtropical climates. It thrives well in almost all the regions of the country from sea level to an altitude of 1500 m, i.e., from Cape Comerin to Himalayas. However, it cannot be grown commercially in areas above 600 m. Temperature, rainfall, wind velocity and altitude are the main climatic factors which influence its growth and fruiting. It cannot stand severe frost, especially when the tree is young. High temperature by itself is not so injurious to mango, but in combination with low humidity and high winds, affects the trees adversely. Most of the mango varieties thrive in places with good rainfall (75 to 375 cm per annum) and dry season. The distribution of rainfall is more important than its amount. Dry weather before blossoming is conducive to profuse flowering. Rain during flowering is detrimental to the crop as it interferes with pollination. However, rain during fruit development is good but heavy rains cause damage to ripening fruits. Strong winds and cyclones during the fruiting season can play havoc as they cause excessive fruit drop. SOIL Mango grows well on wide variety of soils, such as lateritic, alluvial, sandy loam and sandy. Although it grows very well in high to medium fertility soils, its cultivation can be made successful even in low fertility soils by appropriate management especially during early stages of growth. Very poor and stony soils on hill slopes should, however, be avoided. The loamy, alluvial, well drained, aerated and deep soils rich in organic matter with a pH range of 5.5 to 7.5 are most for mango cultivation. The extremely sandy, shallow, rocky, water-logged, heavy textured and alkaline or calcareous soils are not suitable for mango cultivation. VARIETIES There are more than thousand mango varieties in India. However, only about 30 varieties are grown on commercial scale in different states.Important mango varieties cultivated in different states of India States Andhra Pradesh Bihar Goa Gujarat Haryana Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Orissa Punjab Tamil Nadu Varieties Banganpalli, Bangalora,Cherukurasam, Himayuddin, Suvarnarekha Bombai, Langra, Fazri, Himsagar, Kishen Bhog, Sukul, Bathua Fernandin, Mankurad, Alphonso Alphonso, Kesar, Rajapuri, Vanraj Dashehari, Langra, Bombay Green Alphonso, Bangalora, Mulgoa, Neelum, Pairi Mundappa, Olour, Pairi Alphonso, Bombai, Langra and mostly seedling types Alphonso, Kesar, Mankurad, Mulgoa, Pairi Baneshan, Langra, Neelum, Suvarnarekha and mostly seedling types Dashehari, Langra, Chausa Banganpalli, Bangalora, Neelum, Rumani, Mulgoa

Uttar Pradesh West Bengal

Bombay Green, Dashehari, Fajri, Langra, Safeda Lucknow, Chausa Bombai, Himsagar, Kishan Bhog, Langra

Characteristics of important Indian varieties 1. 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. The fruit of this variety is medium in size, ovate oblique in shape and orange yellow in colour. The fruit quality is excellent and keeping quality is good. It has been found good for canning purpose. It is a mid season variety 2. Bangalora : It is a commercial variety of south India. The fruit size is medium to large, its shape is oblong with necked base and colour is golden yellow. Fruit quality is poor. Keeping quality is very good. It is widely used for processing. It is a mid season variety. 3. Banganpalli: It is a commercial variety of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and also known as Chapta, Safeda, Baneshan and Chaptai. Fruit is large in size and obliquely oval in shape. The colour of the fruit is golden yellow. Fruit quality and keeping quality are good. It is a mid season variety and is good for canning. 4. Bombai : It is a commercial variety from Bihar state. It is also known as Malda in West Bengal and Bihar. Fruit size is medium, shape ovate-oblique and colour yellow. Fruit quality and keeping quality are medium. It is an early season variety. 5. 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 is medium, shape ovate oblong and fruit colour is spinach green. Fruit quality is good and keeping quality is medium. It is a very early variety. 6. 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. The fruit size is medium, shape is oblong to oblong oblique and fruit colour is yellow. Fruit quality is excellent keeping quality is good. It is a mid season variety and is mainly used for table purpose. 7. Fajri : This variety is commonly grown in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Fruit is very large, obliquely oval in shape. Fruit colour is light chrome. Fruit quality and keeping quality are medium. This is a late season variety. 8. Fernnadin : This is one of the oldest varieties of Bombay. Some people think that this variety originated in Goa. Fruit size is medium to large, fruit shape is oval to obliquely oval and fruit colour is yellow with a red blush on shoulders. Fruit quality and keeping quality are medium. It is a late season variety mostly used for table purpose. 9. Himsagar : This variety is indigenous to Bengal. This is one of the choicest varieties of Bengal and has gained extensive popularity. Fruit is of medium size, ovate to ovate oblique. Fruit colour is yellow. Both fruit and keeping quality are good. It is an early variety. 10. Kesar : This is a leading variety of Gujarat with a red blush on the shoulders. Fruit size is medium, shape oblong and keeping quality is good. It is an early variety. 11. Kishen Bhog : This variety is indigenous to Murshidabad in West Bengal. Fruit size is medium, fruit shape is roundish oblique and fruit colour is yellow. Fruit quality and keeping quality are good. It is a mid season variety. 12. Langra : This variety is indigenous to Varanasi area of Uttar Pradesh. It is extensively grown in northern India. Fruit is of medium size, ovate shape and lettuce green colour. Fruit quality is good. Keeping quality is medium. It is a mid season variety. 13. Mankurad : This variety is of commercial importance in Goa and in the neighbouring Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. The variety develops black spots on the skin in rainy season. Fruit is medium in size, ovate in shape and yellow in colour. Fruit quality is very good. Keeping quality is poor. It is a mid season variety.

14. Mulgoa : This is a commercial variety of southern India. It is quite popular among the lovers of mango owing to high quality of its fruit. Fruit is large in size, roundish oblique in shape and yellow in colour. Fruit quality is very good. Keeping quality is good. It is a late season variety. 15. 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 is medium in size, ovate oblique in shape and saffron yellow in colour. Fruit quality is good and keeping quality is very good. It is a late season variety. 16. 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 is large in size, ovate to oval oblique in shape and light yellow in colour. Fruit quality is good keeping quality is medium. it is a late variety. 17. Suvarnarekha : This is a commercial variety of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Other synonyms of this variety are Sundari, Lal Sundari. Fruit is medium in size and ovate oblong in shape. Colour of the fruit is light cadmium with a blush of jasper red. Fruit quality is medium and keeping quality is good. It is an early variety. 18. Vanraj : It is a highly prized variety of Vadodra district of Gujarat and fetches good returns. Fruit is medium in size, ovate oblong in shape and colour is deep chrome with a blush of jasper red on the shoulders. Fruit quality and keeing quality good. It is a mid season variety. 19. Zardalu : This variety is indigenous to Murshidabad in West Bengal. Fruit size is medium, oblong to obliquely oblong and golden yellow in colour. Fruit quality is very good. Keeping quality is medium. It is a mid season variety. Hybrid Varieties i) Amarapali : 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. ii) Mallika : It is from a cross of Neelum x Dashehari. Its fruit is large in size, oblong elliptical and in shape cadmium yellow in colour. Fruit and keeping quality are good. It is a mid season variety. iii) Arka Aruna : It is a hybrid between Baganpalli and Alphonso. It is dwarf regular bearing, precocious. Fruits are large having attractive skin colour with red blush free from spongy tissue. iv) Arka Puneet : It is a hybrid between Alphonso and Banganpalli. It regular and prolific bearer. Fruits are medium sized having attractive skin colour with red blush and free from spongy tissue. Excellent keeping quality. v) Arka Anmol : This hybrid is from a cron of Alphonso and Janardhan Pasand. It is regular bearer and good yielder. Fruits are medium sized having uniform yellow peel colour, excellent keeping quality and free from spongy tissue. vi) Arka Neelkiran : It is a hybrid between Alphonso and Neelum. It is , regular bearering late season variety with medium sized fruits having attractive red blush free from spongy tissue. vii) Ratna : This hybrid is from a cross of Neelum x Alphonso. Tree vigorous, precautions, fruits are medium sized, attractive in colour and free from spongy tissue. viii) Sindhu : It is from a cross of Ratna x Alphonso. It is regular bearer, fruits medium sized, free from spongy tissue with high pulp to stone ratio and very thin and small stone. ix) Au Rumani : It is from a cross of Rumani x Mulgoa. It is precocious, heavy and regular bearing with large fruits having yellow cadmium skin colour. x) Manjeera : This hybrid is from a cross of Rumani x Neelum. It is dwarf, regular and prolific bearer with firm and fibre less flesh. Other hybrid varieties released are Alfazali, Sundar Langra, Sabri, Jawahar, Neelphonso, Neeleshan, Neeleshwari and PKM2.

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