Understanding Mangoes: Botany, Pollination, and Cultivation Challenges

Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera, with most commercially important fruit trees classified under the species Mangifera indica. Other edible species within this genus are often referred to as wild mangoes, generally producing lower quality fruits not typically favored in commercial markets. These wild varieties play a role in biodiversity and ecological balance but are less significant in global agriculture.

Mango trees are impressive in their stature, often reaching heights of 35 to 40 meters, with a crown radius extending up to 10 meters. The evergreen leaves, which mature to a dark green hue, contribute to the tree's lush appearance year-round. The fruits of the mango tree are notably variable in size and color, presenting a palette of yellow, orange, red, and even purple hues. The coloration can be indicative of ripeness; for instance, a mango with a red hue on the sun-facing side and yellow on the shaded side often signals ripeness, while green typically indicates an unripe fruit, although this can vary depending on the cultivar.

Mango flowers are a hotspot for various pollinators including fruit bats, flies, wasps, wild bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, ants, and other insects seeking nectar. While these creatures assist in pollination, mango flowers also undergo a degree of self-pollination. Despite their ecological role, honeybees are not particularly attracted to mango flowers. Effective pollination by honeybees would necessitate 3 to 6 colonies per acre (6-12 per hectare), which is not always practical.

Many flowers that do not get pollinated are shed or fail to set fruit. Even when fruit sets, it may be shed if it is very young or due to environmental stresses. Heavy rains can disrupt the pollination process by washing away pollen, leading to poor fruit set. Some cultivars are prone to producing a significant percentage of small fruits without fully developed seeds, a condition often caused by unfavorable weather during the critical fruit-setting period.

The cultivation of mangoes is a delicate balance, requiring careful management of environmental conditions to ensure optimal fruit quality and yield. As global climates change, understanding and adapting to these factors will be crucial for the continued success of mango agriculture.
Understanding Mangoes: Botany, Pollination, and Cultivation Challenges

Pollination of mango

Pollination is major yield-limiting constraint, due to the large number of flowers on trees and low fruit set.

Most mango cultivars are self-fertile but benefit from cross pollination, Flowers open in the morning about 8 am and anthesis is generally completed by noon; receptivity of the flowers usually lasts up to about 72 hr. Although only one stamen per flower produces pollen, the large number of flowers on the tree assures an abundant supply of pollen.

Mango is a highly cross –pollinated crop. Mango flowers may pollinated by flies, bees, thrips and other insects, with flies probably the most important.

Some fruit set may occur to wind pollination. In 1976 researchers found that mangoes were able to set fruit even though insects had been excluded by bagging, thus suggesting that at least some pollination is assisted by wind or gravity.

The percentage of fruit set in a mango panicle is less than 1% and independent on the pollination compatibility of the cultivars, the number of hermaphrodite flowers, pollen viability and the environmental conditions during pollination.

Pollination of mango

Mangoes and Its Species

Mangoes and Its Species
Mangoes belong to the genus of Mangifera. There are 1000 named mango species. Among them

• Mangifera acutigemma
• Mangifera altissima
• Mangifera andamanica
• Mangifera applanata
• Mangifera austro-indica
• Mangifera austro-yunnanensis
• Mangifera blommesteinii
• Mangifera bullata
• Mangifera caesia
• Mangifera camptosperma
• Mangifera campnospermoides

• Mangifera casturi
• Mangifera collina
• Mangifera decandra'
• Mangifera dewildei
• Mangifera dongnaiensis
• Mangifera flava
• Mangifera foetida
• Mangifera gedebe
• Mangifera gracilipes
• Mangifera griffithii
• Mangifera hiemalis

• Mangifera indica
• Mangifera kemanga
• Mangifera lalijiwa
• Mangifera laurina
• Mangifera longipes
• Mangifera macrocarpa
• Mangifera magnifica
• Mangifera mekongensis
• Mangifera minutifolia
• Mangifera monandra
• Mangifera nicobarica

• Mangifera odorata
• Mangifera orophila
• Mangifera pajang
• Mangifera paludosa
• Mangifera parvifolia
• Mangifera pedicellata
• Mangifera pentandra
• Mangifera persiciformis
• Mangifera quadrifida
• Mangifera rubropetala
• Mangifera rufocostata

• Mangifera siamensis
• Mangifera similis
• Mangifera sumbawaensis
• Mangifera superba
• Mangifera swintonioides
• Mangifera sylvatica
• Mangifera taipa
• Mangifera torquenda
• Mangifera transversalis
• Mangifera zeylanica

Most of the fruit trees that are commonly known as mangos belong to the species Mangifera indica. The other edible Mangifera species generally have lower quality fruits and are commonly referred to as wild mangos.

The plant can reach 35 – 40 m in height, with a crown radius of 10 m. The leaves are ever green and dark green when matured.

The ripe fruit is variable in size and color, such as yellow, orange, and red or purple. Often red on the side facing the sun and yellow were shaded, a mango that us green usually indicates unripe fruit, but this depends on the cultivar.

Mango flowers are visited by fruit bats, flies, wasps, wild bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, ants and various bugs seeking the nectar and some transfer the pollen but a certain amount of self-pollination also occurs. Honeybees do not especially favor mango flowers and it has been found that effective pollination by honeybees would require 3 to 6 colonies per acre (6-12 per ha). Many of the unpollinated flowers are shed or fail to set fruit, or the fruit is set but is shed when very young. Heavy rains wash off pollen and thus prevent fruit setting. Some cultivars tend to produce a high percentage of small fruits without a fully developed seed because of unfavorable weather during the fruit-setting period.
Mangoes and Its Species