Compiled by the ASFIC team

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MANGO - Nutrition, Management, Disease and Pest Control

INTRODUCTION
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) belonging to Family Anacardiaceae is the most important
commercially grown fruit crop of the country. It is called the king of fruits. India has the
richest collection of mango cultivars. In the olden times every house had atleast one
Mango, and a Lime tree.
The fruit is very popular with the masses due to its wide range of adaptability, high
nutritive value, richness in variety, delicious taste and excellent flavour. It is a rich
source of vitamin A and C. The fruit is consumed raw or ripe. Good mango varieties
contain 20% of total soluble sugars. The acid content of ripe desert fruit varies from 0.2
to 0.5 % and protein content is about 1 %.
Raw fruits of local varieties of mango trees are used for preparing various traditional
products like raw slices in brine, amchur, pickle, murabba, chutney, panhe (sharabat)
etc. Presently, the raw fruit of local varieties of mango are used for preparing pickle and
raw slices in brine on commercial scale while fruits of Alphonso variety are used for
squash in coastal western zone.
The wood is used as timber, and dried twigs are used for religious purposes. The mango

kernel also contains about 8-10% good quality fat which can be used for saponification.
Its starch is used in confectionery industry.
Mango also has medicinal uses. The ripe fruit has fattening, diuretic and laxative
properties. It helps to increase digestive capacity.

The varieties grown in and around Dehradun are:

Dashehari, Langra, Safeda Lucknow, Chausa, Neelum, Amrapalli, Mallika and Totapuri.
Planting
Planting Material
Mango can be propagated from seed or propagated vegetatively. Plants are generally
propagated vegetatively by using several techniques like veneer grafting, inarching and
epicotyls grafting etc.
Planting Season
Planting is usually done in the month of July-August in rainfed areas and during
February-March in irrigated areas. In case of heavy rainfall zones, planting is taken up
at the end of rainy season.
Spacing
The planting distance is 10m. x 10m. and 12m. x 12m. in dry and moist zones
respectively. In the model scheme, a spacing of 8m. x 8m. with a population of 63 plants
per acre has been considered which was observed to be common in areas covered
during a field study.
Training of Plants
Training of plants in the initial stages of growth is very important to give them a proper
shape specially in cases where the graft has branched too low.
Nutrition

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) :
Age of the plant
Fertilizer applied
(in years)
1*
100g. N, 50g. P2O5, 100g. K2O
10
1kg. N, 500g. P2O5, 1kg. K2O
11
-doTable 1
*The doses applied in the subsequent years should be increased every year up to
10 years in the multiple of the first years 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.
Irrigation
The frequency and amount of irrigation to be provided depends on the type of soil,
prevailing climatic conditions, rainfall and its distribution and lastly the age of the trees.
No irrigation is required during the monsoon months unless there are long spells of
drought.
Age of the plant (in
years)/Growth stage

Irrigation schedule

1
2-5
5-8/ fruit set to maturity
Full bearing stage

Irrigated at an interval of 2-3 days during dry season.

Irrigation interval- 4-5 days .
Irrigated after every 10-15 days
2-3 irrigations after fruit set.

Frequent irrigation during 2-3 months prior to the flowering season is not advisable as it
is likely to promote vegetative growth at the expense of flowering. Irrigation should be
given at 50% field capacity. Generally inter-crops are grown during the early years of
plantation and hence frequency and method of irrigation has to be adjusted accordingly.
The method usually followed for irrigating mango plants is basin irrigation. However, use
of Drip Irrigation will not only reduce the water requirements but will also help in
fertigation in root zones of the plants.
Crop Management
Regulation of Bearing
Proper cultural practices like addition of fertilizers and control of diseases and insect
pests may be adopted to regulate growth and bearing. Regular bearing varieties viz.
Dashehari and Amrapalli may be grown. Deblossoming of the panicles with NAA @ 200
ppm. (20 g./100 l. water) during on year may help to regulate the bearing.
Regulation of Fruit Drop
Embryo abortion, climatic factors , disturbed water relation, lack of nutrition, attack of
disease and pest, hormonal imbalances are the major factors that lead to fruit drop. A
spray of Alar (B-Nine) @ 100 ppm. or 20 ppm. 2,4-D (2g. in 100 Liter water) in the last
week of April or in the last week of May will control to some extent the summer fruit drop
in Langra & Dashehari.
Plant Protection Measures
Insect Pests
Insect pests mostly observed are mealy bug, hopper, inflorescence midge, fruit fly and
scale insects. For controlling these insects, spraying with carbaryl, monocrotophos,
phosphamidon & methyl parathion are recommended.

Diseases and Disorders

The crop is suspect to diseases like powdery mildew, anthracnose, die back, blight, red
rust, sooty mould, etc. In order to control these diseases spraying of appropriate
chemicals/fungicides have to be undertaken preferably on preventive basis.

Disorders can also affect the crop if proper case and control measures are not taken.
The major among these are malformation, biennial bearing, fruit drop, black tip,
clustering etc.
The proper disease and pest management of the mango tree is a on going year round
process.
Once the fruits have been harvested latest in July/August, give the trees a rest for 15/20
days. The month wise process must be rigidly followed to ensure that the mango tree
remains healthy and gives maximum fruit.
JULY/AUGUST
After the fruit has been harvested make a basin around the tree. The exposing of the
roots to the sun will kill the eggs and pupae of mealy bugs and other pests.
Then after a day apply half the dose of fertilizers as given in the table 1. This must be
fallowed by irrigation.
After airing for 10/15 days fill the basin with the soil.
OCTOBER
Again dig the basins around each tree and dust the basin with 250gm of Methyl
Parathion ( 2% dust) per tree as this application will kill all hatched nymphs the root area
of trees (Fig 1).

Spray the trunk surface with 10ml Monocrotophos in 1 liter of water of water as this will
kill all the nymphs of the Mealy bugs which may have crawled up the trunk.
At this paint a band of BIFLEX TM 10ml in 1 liter water around the base of the stem up
to about 2-3 feet height.

After this application make a HDPE sheet cover around the tree trunk between 2-3 feet
in height. This will stop all the crawling insects to go up the tree trunk and damage the
plants.
Termite damage
To avoid termites damage to the underground parts of the tree during dry period, fill the
basins around the tree and with 10 ml of BIFLEX TM in one liter of water.

Figure 1

Figure 2
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY
Light irrigation as required bases once a fortnight.
Raking of soil around tree trunk to expose the eggs to natural enemies and sun, removal
of weeds and mixing with chlorpyriphos dust 1.5% at 50 g/ tree during January.
After mud plastering, banding of tree trunk with alkathene (400 gauge), 25 cm wide
sheets should be fastened to the free trunk with the help of sutli, 30 cm above ground
level and application of 5% NSKE in last week of January around tree trunk (Fig 2).
If nymphs ascended on tree spray NAG (CPP+CYPHERMITHRIN) 10mlin 1 liter water.

FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL
1. Hopper (Idioscopus clypealis, I.nitidulus and Amritodus atkinsoni)

Symptoms: The wedges shaped Nymphs and adult insects puncture and suck sap of
tender parts, reducing vigour of plants and particularly destroying the inflorescence and
causing fruit drop. Heavy puncturing and continuous draining of sap causes curling and
drying of infested tissue. They also damage the crop by excreting a sweet sticky
substance facilitates the development of sooty mould (Fig 1 & 2).

Fig 1 Hopper attack

inflorescence

Fig 2 Hopper attack twigs and tender fruit

Management
Avoid dense plantings, maintained open canopy; prune overcrowded overlapping
branches after rainy season.
The area around the trees should be kept clean by regular ploughing and removal of
weeds.
2. Inflorescence / leaf/ twig midge (Erosomyia indica), Dasineura,
amraramanjarae, Procystiphovra mangiferae and Procontarinia, matteriana)
Symptoms: The larvae tunnel the axis of inflorescence and destroy it completely.
Damage by E. indica causes bending and drying of the inflorescences. Second attacks
starts at fruit setting as young maggots bore into these tender fruits which slowly turn
yellow and finally drop. Third attack is on tender new leaves encircling inflorescence.
The most damaging one is first attack in which the entire inflorescence is destroyed. The
inflorescence shows stunted growth and its axis bends, at the entrance point of larva

(Fig 3 & 4).

Fig 3.Panicle damaged by midge

Fig. 4.Twig damaged by midge

Management
Collection and disposal of infested panicles leaves and twigs.
Monitoring of larval population on white paper in April/ May and apply chlopyriphos
(1.5%) dust based on population.
Spray at bud burst stage NAG (CPP+CYPHERMITHRIN) 10mlin 1 liter water.
Spraying of 0.2% Nimbicidin or Azadirachtin 3000 ppm at 2m/l at initial stage of hopper
population.

Spray Lambda cyhalothrin 5% EC at 0.5 ml or imidacloprid 200 SL at 0.25 ml/l or

Thiamethaxam (0.05%) or propanophos (0.05%).

First spray should be done at early stage of panicle formation if hopper population, is
more than 5-10 panicle, second spray at full length stage of panicle and the third spray
after fruit setting (at pea size).
Chemical spray is to be minimized and should be need based.
A rational rotation of insecticide is desirable to counteract the tendency of pest to
develop field resistance.
3. Mealy bug (Drosicha mangiferae)
Symptoms: The adult bugs are covered with whitish powder and colonize between bark
of tree trunk, young shoots and panicles (Fig 5). The nymphs ascent the trees and
settle on inflorescence causing flower drop, affecting fruit set. They also excrete honey
dew, a sticky substance, which facilitates development of sooty mould. (Fig. 6).

Fig 5 Shoot infested with Mealy bug

Management

Fig 6 Fruits infected with Mealy bug

Flooding of orchard with water in the month of October kill the eggs.
Digging around the tree in November.
Raking of soil around tree trunk to expose the eggs to natural enemies and sun, removal
of weeds and mixing with chlorpyriphos dust 1.5% at 250 g/ tree during
Januaryf/ebruary..
MAY/JUNE

4. Fruit flies (Bactrocera dorsalis, B. correctus and B. zonatus)

Symptoms: The female punctures outer wall of mature fruits with the help of its pointed
ovipositor and insert eggs in small clusters inside mesocarp of mature fruits. On
hatching, the maggots feed on fruit pulp and the infested fruits start rotting due to further
secondary infection (Figs. 9, 10, 11 &12).

Fig 7 Adult fruit fly

Management

Fig 8 trapped flies

Fig 9 Maggots in pulp Fig 10 Infested fruit

Prior to harvest (30-40 days) collect and dispose off infested and fallen fruits to prevent
further, multiplication and carry over of population.
Digging and cleaning of the soil around the tree during November-December to expose
pupae to suns heat which kills them.
Hanging of wooden block traps soaked in malathion during fruiting period from April to
August at 1 trap/tree - tie them tightly at 3-5 feet above ground level.
To control adult flies during severe infestation placing poison bait viz Protein hydrolysate
+malathion 50 ml +200 ml molasses in 2 litres of water be sprayed adding an additional
18 liters of water to bait poison. Commencing at pre oviposition period and repeat at 15
days interval
Three weeks before harvesting, spray Deltamethrin 2.8 EC at 0.5 ml/l + Azadiractin at 2
ml/l.
If infestation is heavy, bait splash on the trunk only, once or twice at weekly interval is
recommended. To prepare bait splash, mix 100 gm of jaggery in one litre of water and
add 1 ml of Deltamethrin by using an old broom.
Managing fruit flies also reduces anthracnose disease and prevents late fruit fall.

5. Leaf webber (Orthaga euadrusalis)

Symptoms: Initially caterpillars feed on leaf surface gregariously by scrapping/Later

they make web of tender shoots and leaves together and feed within. Several caterpillars
2may be found in a single webbed up cluster of leaves (Figs. 11, 12, 13 & 14).

Fig 11 Webber infested plant

F
gFi
Fig 13 Infection of Aspergillus flavus

Fig 12 Close up of web with caterpillars

Fig 14 Adult fly, pupae and caterpillar

of webber

Management
Pruning of overcrowded and overlapping branches.
Digging and cleaning of the soil around the tree as done earlier for mealy bug control
checks its population.

Two to three sprays commencing from last week of July with carbaryl (0.2%) or
quinalphos (0.05%). This spay will also take care of mango psylla (Apsylla cistellata).
The use of same chemical for every spray should be avoided.
6. Shoot gall psylla (Apsylla cistellata)
Symptoms: Nymphs emerge during August September and suck cell sap from adjacent
buds. As a result of feeding, buds develop into hard conical green galls (Fig 15.). The
galls are usually seen during September-October. Consequently there is no flowering
and fruit setting. Nymphs pass winter inside the galls (Fig 16).

Fig 15 Infestation of shoot gall psylla

Fig 16 Nymphs of Apsylla cistellata

Management
Galls with nymphs should be collected and destroyed.
Spray dimethoate (0.06%) or quinalphos (0.05%) at fortnightly interval starting from
August.
Spray 2, 4-D (150 ppm, i e 150 mg/ 1 liter of water) during October which opens the galls
and nymphs come out and are killed with cold.

7. Stem-borer (Batocera rufomaculata)

Symptoms: The damage is caused by grubs either to roots or stems. The grubs after
hatching from eggs first feed on bark and make irregular cavities. It makes tunnels which
may either be in boring upward, resulting in drying of branches (Fig 17.)

Fig 17 Infestation of borer on tree trunk

Management
Keep orchard clean and healthy.

Cut and destroy affected branches with grubs and pupae.

Clean hole and insert cotton wool soaked in emulsion of dichlorvos (0.05%) or kerosene
or petrol in each hole and plug them with mud.
8. Shoot-borer (Chlumetia transversa)
Symptoms: Larvae bore into young tender leaves during August and freshly hatched
caterpillar bore into mid rib. After a couple of days, they bore into tender shoots near the
growing point tunneling downward, throwing their excreta resulting in dropping of leaves
and wilting of terminal shoots (Fig.18).

Fig 18 Infestation of shoot borer on young leaves

Management
Attacked shoots should be clipped off and destroyed.
Spray cabaryl or quinalphos (0.05%) at fortnightly interval from the commencement of
new flush