Mango

 

Mango – a tasty and nutritious fruit

Of the tropical fruits, mango is second only to banana in terms of global production although is often considered inferior in terms of world trade because of its sensitivity to pressure. Today, India is the world's largest producer of mangoes followed by China and Thailand.

Mango is a very tasty and nutritious fruit containing large amounts of vitamin C. Mango is a very versatile crop which is suitable for processing at all stages of ripeness. The unripe fruits can be processed into chutneys, pickles and relishes while the ripe fruits can be prepared, e.g. as slices in syrup or in brine, as juice, puree, jam, jelly and ice-cream. Mango seeds are milled to flour and the timber of the mango tree is used, e.g. for boats, flooring and furniture.

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Potassium – for high yield and quality

• The influence of K on fruit quality is greater than any other plant nutrient.
• Potassium is required for many physiological processes in the plant, e.g. photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, protein and carbohydrate synthesis, translocation of assimilates and enzyme ac-tivation
• K has a significant influence on growth and development of mango trees, especially with regard to the early vegetative phase when young mango trees require potassium for rapid girth development and branching
• During the mature phase, potassium is an essential nutrient for fruit filling (size & weight) and quality
• Potassium ensures more even ripening and helps to achieve a desirable skin colour
• The optimum leaf concentration of K ranges between 0.3 - 0.8 % of dry matter
• The K:Ca ratio should not be < 0.2 in order to produce fruits of good quality and free from internal tissue breakdown ('soft nose' disorder).

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Magnesium – for sweet and tasty fruits

• Relative to other major fruit crops, mango is a very magnesium demanding crop
• Magnesium is a constituent of chlorophyll and plays a vital role in photosynthesis
• Magnesium plays an important role for the mango quality, as the edible portion of the mango fruit contains approximately 15 % sugar. An adequate magnesium supply ensures sufficient sugar production and translocation to the developing fruit
• Magnesium influences the yield potential as the tree requires magnesium for optimal root growth, especially during the unbearing phase. Underdeveloped root systems are more prone to nutrient deficiency and water stress
• The optimum leaf concentration for Mg should be in the range 0.15 - 0.4 % of dry matter.

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Fertiliser recommendations

To supply sufficient nutrients to achieve the required biomass, especially in the juvenile stage and to replace the nutrients removed by the crop and those lost by harvest a judicious fertiliser application is recommended. Soil analysis at the beginning of planting and for monitoring purposes every 3-5 years as well as annual leaf analysis to check the nutritional status of the tree are recommended. The potassium and magnesium rates shown in the table below can be used as a guideline. It is recommended to apply half the dose after harvest (if the rainfall and soil humidity are sufficient) and the remainder at the onset of the main growth period. Generally yield and quality of mango as in many other fruit trees are negatively affected by chloride. Therefore low chlorine, SOP-based fertilisers are recommended.

 

Potassium and magnesium fertiliser recommendation for mango (g tree^-1)

 

Age (years)	K (g tree-1)	Sop (g tree-1)	Mg (g tree-1)	ESTA Kieserite (g tree-1)	Patentkali (g tree-1) *
1	200	400	20	130	650
2 - 3	200	400	30	180	650
4 - 6	250	500	35	220	830
7 - 8	375	750	55	340	1250
9 - 10	500	1000	75	460	1700
> 10	650	1300	100	580	2200

 

* Patentkali is recommended when available