Mangifera Indica
Family : Anacardiaceae
English Name : Mango
Hindi Name : Am
Telugu Name : Mamidi
Bengali Name : Am
Tree Characteristics :
Mango is a large, evergreen tree with a dark green, umbrella-shaped, spreading crown; it can grow from 10 - 45 metres tall. The long bole can be 60 - 120cm in diameter.The tree has a deep, tap-root system. The mango is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, having been grown in India 4,000 years ago. From there its cultivation has spread and it is now grown extensively around the world in tropical regions, and the frost-free subtropics, for its edible fruit.
Nursery:
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe. Wash the seed, dry in shade and sow about 5cm deep with the convex side up. Germination takes about 18 days if the seed is peeled first, or 30 days if it is not. Give the seedlings some shade as they grow. Plants that are raised in nursery beds can be transplanted without much difficulty before the taproot has developed to any great extent. However, seedlings raised in baskets or containers are preferable. Approach and epicotyl grafts are used for planting.
Economic Uses :
Ø Fruit - raw or cooked. One of the most popular fruits in the world, it is commonly eaten raw, is juiced and can also be prepared in a variety of ways such as in chutneys, jams, pickles etc
Ø The dried, unripe fruit is ground into a powder and used as a flavouring in Indian cuisine. They are an ingredient of the spice mixture chat masala
Ø A variable fruit, ranging in colour from green through orange and yellow to red, it can be anything from 50g to 1.5kg in weight. The fruit is usually 8 - 12cm long, but can be up to 30cm.
The fruit contains about 15% sugars, 0.5% protein and significant amounts of vitamins A, B and C. The seeds are used in the preparation of dodol, or pudding.
