Neelum, Bangalora, Alphonso, Rumani, Banganapalli, Kalepad, Peter, PKM 1, PKM 2, Sendura, Jahangir, Mulgoa, Himayuddin, Paiyur 1, Mallika, Amrapali and Salem Bangalora, Arka Anmol, Arka Aruna, Arka Neelkiran, Arka Puneeth and Sindhu are popular varieties in mango.

1) Soil and climate
Ideal soil for mango is red loamy. Good drainage is preferable for better establishment. Ideal pH range is from 6.5 to 8.0.

2) Season of planting
Planting spreads from July to December.

3) Planting material
Approach and epicotyl grafts are used for planting.

4) Field preparation
Dig pits of 1 m x 1 m x 1 m. Fill in with topsoil mixed with 10 kg of FYM and 100 g Lindane 1.3% dust per pit.

5) Spacing
Mango is normally planted at 7 to 10 m either way. However under high density planting, it varies between 5 x 5 m and 6 x 6 m. Amrapalli, a North Indian variety is highly suitable for high density planting.

6) Planting
Grafts are planted in the centre of pit with ball of earth intact followed by watering and staking. The graft union must be 15 cm above the ground level.

7) Irrigation
Regular watering is recommended till establishment. Under conventional irrigation systems, weekly irrigation is essential. However, under micro-irrigation the requirement is restricted to one-third of the water required for conventional method. Intercropping Short duration crops like legumes, vegetables, groundnut etc. can be raised during pre- bearing age

Rootstock sprouts and low lying branches have to be removed. Remove overlapping, intercrossing, diseased, dried and weak branches in old trees to get good sunlight and aeration. For the internal branches, pruning may be done during August – September, once in three years. Flowering should not be allowed upto three years. Among crowded terminal shoots, weak shoots are trimmed to retain two healthy shoots during August-September annually.

NAA @ 20 ppm is sprayed at flowering to increase the fruit retention. During February 0.5% Urea (5 g/lit.) or 1% Potassium Nitrate (10g/lit.) may be sprayed to induce flowering, if trees do not flower by that time. Spraying of 2% KNO3 at mustard size will increase the fruit set and retention of fruits. Application of Paclobutrazol @ 10 g a.i. for non-bearing trees during first fortnight of September will induce flowering and fruitset yield during off years.

Plant Protection


Pests Hopper
Spraying two rounds of acephate 75 SP@ 1g/lit or phosalone 35 EC @ 1.5 ml/lit or carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/lit or phosphamidon 40SL 2 ml/lit of water will control hopper. First at the time of panicle emergence and the second two weeks after first spray. Wettable sulphur @ 2 g/lit may be sprayed after spraying carbaryl to avoid mite resurgence. Phosphamidon + neem oil 5 ml/lit of water can be mixed with any insecticides for the control of hopper and shoot webber.

Leaf galls and Aphids
Application of Dimethoate or Methyl demeton @ 2 ml/lit will control the pests.

Flower Webber
Application of Phosalone 35 EC @ 2 ml/lit will control webber.

Nut Weevil
Fenthion 100 EC 1ml/lit spray during marble stage and second spray 15 days after the first spray will control nut weevil.

Mealy bug
Spraying of Chlorpyriphos 20 EC 2.5ml/lit or Monocrotophos 36 WSC 1.5ml/lit will give control over the pest. Band the trees with 20 cm wide 400 gauge polythene sheets will prevent the spread of the pest. Similarly, release of Australian ladybird beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri @ 10/tree will be a very effective bio-control measure.

Stem borer
Monocrotophos (36 WSC) 10 ml is soaked in absorbent cotton and placed on the affected stem by removing the bark of 2.5 cm². Then the portion is wrapped with gunny or plastic papers thereby the chemical gets into the system so as to kill the stem borer. The trees should not be treated during their bearing stage. Application of carbofuran 3 G @ 5g per bore hole and plugging with mud after mechanically removing or killing the grub by introducing a needle or wire will also control the pest.

Fruit fly
Spraying of Fenthion 2 ml/lit or malathion 2 ml/lit will control the pest. Ploughing the inter spaces will expose the pupae. Pheromone trap with methyl eugenol 1 ml in 1 litre of water + 1 ml of malathion solution will attract and kill the female insects. Take 10 ml of this mixture per trap and keep them in 25 different places in one hectare between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Collect and destroy the fallen fruits.

Powdery mildew
Application of Sulphur dust (350 mesh) in the early morning will protect new flush or spray Wettable sulphur 0.2% or Tridemorph 0.05% will control powdery mildew.

Anthracnose and stalk end-rot
Pre-harvest spraying of Mancozeb 2g/lit or Carbendazim 1g/lit or Thiophanate methyl 1g/lit or Chlorothalonil 2 g/lit, 3 times at 15 days interval will control anthracnose and stalk end-rot.

Sooty mould
Spraying Phosphamidon 40 SL @ 2 ml/ litre + Maida 5% (1 kg Maida or starch) boiled with 1 lit of water and diluted to 20 litres will control the incidence of sooty mould. Avoid spraying during cloudy weather.

Mango malformation
• Use of disease free planting material.
• Diseased plants should be destroyed.
• Incidence reduced by spraying 100-200ppm NAA during October.
• Pruning of diseased parts with the basal 15-20 cm apparently healthy portions.
• Followed by the spraying of Carbendazim (0.1%).

Harvest Season
Harvest spreads from March to June.